Pink Flamingo Population in Cyprus Hits Critical Low

The number of pink flamingos wintering in Cyprus has dropped to a historic low, particularly in the Akrotiri salt lakes. According to a joint press release by BirdLife Cyprus and the Game and Fauna Service, the latest mid-winter waterbird survey raises serious concerns about the state of Cyprus' wetlands.

For the first time since systematic monitoring began in 1992, only 30 flamingos were recorded at the Akrotiri salt flats. This figure is even lower than in 2008, when the island experienced a severe drought.

In recent years, only 100–250 flamingos have been recorded at Akrotiri Salt Lake, whereas in previous decades, numbers typically ranged between 2,000 and 5,000. In exceptionally good years, the lake has been home to as many as 8,000–13,000 flamingos.

"The drastic decline in flamingo numbers is a serious warning sign of wetland degradation. In the past, whenever there was water in the salt flats, flamingos were present. That pattern no longer holds, especially in Akrotiri Salt Lake," said Senior Game and Fauna Service Officer Nikos Kassinis.

Experts point to several possible reasons for the declining population, including changes in the wetland catchment area affecting water quality and supply, shifts in biological water quality factors (such as a drop in zooplankton levels), broader environmental pressures in the Eastern Mediterranean, and climate change impacts.

Earlier this year, a waterbird census conducted by the Cyprus Ornithological Association (KUŞKOR) and BirdLife Cyprus recorded a total of 21,592 birds from 72 different species across the island.