One of the most picturesque natural seasons of the year has begun on Lake Paralimni - migrating flamingos are returning here en masse.
Thousands of birds cover the water surface in pink and black patterns, turning the winter wetlands into a living tableau. Their appearance has always been considered a symbol of a healthy ecosystem, but this year their beauty hides alarming statistics.
According to BirdLife Cyprus and the Department of Fauna Conservation, flamingo numbers in Cyprus have declined by 14–31% over the past decade. Environmentalists note that such a sharp drop indicates the instability of the migration corridor and the deterioration of conditions for wintering birds on the island.
Traditionally, the bulk of wintering flamingos concentrate on the Larnaca Salt Lake and the Akrotiri wetlands. However, this season it was Lake Paralimni that became a real “alternate airfield” for them. The optimal level of shallow brackish water necessary for feeding is maintained here - brine shrimp, the main source of food for flamingos, live in abundance here.
In many other places on the island, conditions turned out to be unfavorable: drought lowered the water level, and in some areas, on the contrary, it rose so much that it became difficult for birds to stand and feed. Against this backdrop, Paralimni has unexpectedly turned into a key refuge, on which the successful wintering of thousands of migratory birds directly depends this year.
Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
