Long considered a Garden of Eden for migratory birds, Albania’s Vain Lagoon along the northern coast has become a hotspot of decline as rising temperatures disrupt vital wetlands across the country.
Each year, millions of birds traverse Albanian lagoons and estuaries during their northward migrations, relying on these areas as critical stopovers between northern Europe and Africa.
Spanning over 3,000 hectares along the Adriatic Sea, Vain Lagoon is home to 196 species of migratory birds, including long-legged flamingos, black-headed gulls, slender egrets, whistling ducks, and teals known for their raspy songs.
However, their numbers are plummeting. Experts report that at least 40 percent of the overall migratory bird populations were absent in January, with the mallard duck nearly disappearing in recent years.
Scientists attribute the decline to factors like poaching, poisoning, collisions with power lines, and habitat loss. Yet, the escalating global temperatures may pose an even greater threat, upending the delicate balance of these wetlands and the species that depend on them.
Reference(s):
Rising temperatures upend migratory bird habitats in Albania
cgtn.com
