The Pandoteira project, together with the Larnaca Municipality, celebrated World Wetlands Day with a special event, which took place on February 3, 2025, at Larnaca Salt Lake. The event was specifically designed for pupils.
How did the kids spend their day?
- They learnt about sand dunes and their importance, by the Department of Environment.
- They experienced birdwatching with the guidance and help of the Game and Fauna Service, and BirdLife Cyprus.
- With the guidance of Terra Cypria, they observed and learnt about the lake’s invertebrates, using stereoscopes to observe the tiny brine shrimp Artemia, which forms a key part of the salt lake’s food chain.
Every year, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd. This “celebration” aims to raise public awareness about the importance of wetlands, which are among the most valuable ecosystems on the planet. Wetlands:
- Replenish underground water reserves.
- Provide cleaner water by acting as natural filtration systems.
- Regulate the climate, offering cooler summers and milder winters.
- Help mitigate the greenhouse effect by absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide.
- Offer protection against floods and erosion.
- Support a rich biodiversity, with many plant and animal species thriving there, including endemic species that can only survive in specific wetlands.
- Attract visitor for observing, exploring, and photographing diverse landscapes, wildlife and plant life.
This year’s theme for the celebrations is “Wetlands for Our Common Future,” reminding us that wetlands are a global asset. Unfortunately, they face numerous threats, mainly due to human activities.
In Cyprus, development works around the island’s largest and most important wetlands impact water quality, increase disturbance and contribute to waste pollution. Birds can serve as indicators of an area’s environmental quality, and sadly, the number of flamingos visiting and wintering in Cyprus’ wetlands has declined significantly over the past decade.
As part of the Pandoteira Project, actions are being taken to address knowledge gaps concerning the dietary, nesting, and resting needs of certain species, as well as to quantify the threats they face. Flamingos are one of these species.
Filling these knowledge gaps will allow for the adoption of targeted conservation measures to improve the species’ status in specific Special Protection Areas (SPAs). As a result, conservation goals can be achieved, not only for flamingos but also for the Natura 2000 network sites where they are found.
