Places of interest20 August 2017

The fascinating story of the last pelican in Europe

The discovery of the symbol of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve – the PELICAN

The Pelican - Danube Delta

The Pelican - Danube Delta

The Danube Delta is ranked the 3rd most important biodiversity in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos Islands. The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve covers an area about ​​580,000 ha and is considered the biggest ​​ecological reconstruction and revegetation area in the world. Here the Danube created a maze of islands, lakes and forests that provide an ideal habitat for 4,000 animal species and where, every year new species are reported.

Among all bird species, the pelican became the symbol of the Danube Delta. Here it can be found both the white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) and the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus). They are rare in Europe, but are also rare all over the world, especially the Dalmatian pelican, an endangered species around the world. If in Delta the presence of the pelican is normal, things are different in the rest of Europe, where pelican slowly withdrew from the path of civilization, reaching the Danube Delta where they found the ideal habitat.

A long time ago, both species were found also in Dobrogea, and their number where beyond any human imagination. It is assumed that there were even millions of pelicans. Now they are found only in the Danube Delta.

Romania has a significant percentage of the global population of this species. Pelicans are growing here in huge colonies, protected and hidden from view by reeds. Each year about 2,500 pairs of white pelicans and about 100 pairs of Dalmatian Pelican leave Africa to reach the Delta. They come here to raise their babies. Here is the largest community of pelicans outside of Africa. Currently, pelicans are strictly protected throughout Europe.

Since 1955 in Romania pelicans have been declared natural monuments, the colonies are also protected, and the enter in the colonies is strictly protected. Pelicans not only are declared natural monuments, they are also protected by the Berne Convention on the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats. Everyone who goes to Delta wants to see pelicans, but pelicans are best seen in the greatest number during the summer when the pups are already grown and are out on the lake.

Why visit Delta?

Because the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is a real show room where we find humanity’s biodiversity over thirty types of ecosystems, over 54,000 species of flora and fauna, is the largest compact reed area in the world, the most important place of migration and waterfowl habitat in Europe.

For more details, see the official website: http://www.ddbra.ro/ .  

D.K.

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