It came out that the birds had been dying gradually, within a week. After their removing from the colony only four were in a condition possible for autopsy. All of them were extremely weak and three of them also invaded by internal parasites.
The colleagues from Regional Food Safety Directorate Silistra have sent samples to the BFSA laboratory in Sofia where we expect results in the following days.
The vets of the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre are unanimous that at the moment it is of crucial importance the isolation of the reason for the birds’ death. Otherwise the colony which is the only one in Bulgaria is seriously threatened.
In this relation our team showed readiness to cooperate with the authorities if eventually next case of sick or dead pelicans is found, where the experience of more than 20 years in treatment of wildlife of our veterinary surgeons will be of paramount usage.
Up to the moment we keep in touch with the colleagues within the region and we are quite ready to react if necessary.
Additional information for the species:
The Dalmatian pelican is one of the species endangered with extinction worldwide. It is recorded in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – under the category Vulnerable VU.
In Bulgaria it nests only in the Srebarna Lake (since the mid-20th century). During the 1954-2005 period its number is between 29 and 128 – average 67 pairsВ. During migration and during winter it is met along the Black Sea Coast and more rarely within the internal country. Besides in Srebarna, pelicans in Europe nest only at three places – along the Volga, the Danube Delta and in Greece.
The existence of a colony of the Dalmatian pelicans in the Srebarna Reserve is one of the reasons for its major significance – at an international scale, inclusive for its including in the UNESCO list of the world cultural and natural heritage.
The number of the dead pelicans during the last days is equal to a considerable percentage of the species population in the country, which determines the events as a significant loss for our biodiversity.
photo: A Dalmatian pelican, Stefan Avramov
Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre will cooperate with the authorities about the Srebarna case
