Help for wiontering DALMATIAN PELICANS

Due to the abnormal severe winter in Daghestan, since mid February over 500 DALMATIAN PELICANS have found shelter in the port of Makhachkala, on a small area of unfreezing Caspian waters near the shipyard. These rare birds, escaping from frosts and starvation, left nobody unconcerned.

The very first days Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Daghestan organized extra feeding of the pelicans with fish. Many other organizations and institutions joined the action such as Daghestan Nature Reserve, Russian Bird Conservation Union (RBCU), Charitable Fund ‘ChistoyeSertse’, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Corporation ‘Sibirskoye Zdorovye’etc., and thousands of volunteers – common citizens, students and school children.

Several birds (the most weakened and injured) were brought to the cordon of Daghestan Reserve. There, in cooperation with Russian Bird Conservation Union and Bird Hospital ‘Zeleny Popugay’ (Green Parrot), was organized a field hospital. The hospital has enough room, food, necessary medicine and equipment, among them a mobile laboratory, ultrasound apparatus, etc. Now, it is important to provide pelicans with necessary conditions to restore and gather strength and help these birds be ready for the spring migration.

Gadzhibek Dzhamirzoev, Daghestan, Russia