PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Larus audouinii is a rare and elegant seabird, endemic to the Mediterranean, where 90% of the global breeding population occurs. The species was extremely endangered (1.000 pairs in 1975) but for the last 20 years an impressive recovery took place (to circa 15.000 pairs). This led to its removal from the list of globally threatened species and to its classification as « conservation dependent » since about 90% of the European population occurs in just two Spanish colonies, the Ebro delta and the Chafarinas Islands. Nevertheless Larus audouinii is still highly sensitive because of its restricted range and its exceptional colony mobility. The Greek population (latest update: ±770 pairs instead of 250 pairs, as was originally estimated prior to the beginning of the project) is the largest one in the Eastern Mediterranean; it is distributed in small distinct colonies located mainly in small uninhabited rocky islets, and is rather isolated from the Western population. The Dodecanese and Kythira are the two strongholds of the Greek population. Breeding sites may change from year to year with birds moving to other islets in the surrounding areas. However, all known Greek colonies are found within the boundaries of seven SPAs, five of which are in the areas of Dodecanese and Kythira, and are targeted by the project. About 300 pairs of the total Greek population breed within the five project sites.
OBJECTIVES
The project was based on the species European Action Plan. Its aim was to maintain and subsequently increase the current population of L. audouinii in its two strongholds in Greece (Dodecanese and Kythira), through urgent actions and through the promotion of the legal protection of five SPAs (Astypalaia, Leipsoi, Amorgos, Kithira and Southern Aegean islets). The urgent actions included wardening of the colonies, removal of the goats, fencing off of two colonies, creation of artificial covering in order to reduce predation of chicks and closing of open refuse dumps in order to prevent the expansion of L. cachicans. In order to ensure the long-term protection of the species, the preparation of management plans was foreseen for the 5 SPAs, with the ultimate goal of elaborating and submitting to the national authorities blueprints of Presidential Decrees for the sites. The increase of public awareness was an activity aiming at both the short-term and long-term protection of the species.
RESULTS
The project was the very first one in Greece to work on the conservation of uninhabited islets. It confirmed and made known the ecological value of such areas, which up to now were mostly looked at by the public as "barren bits of land”. Considerable progress was achieved in the following areas:
Knowledge of the species Larus audouinii : Numerous studies were undertaken by the project. They covered a broad spectrum of subjects, like breeding ecology, threats, and the extent of human activities, and permitted a global assessment of the different types of dynamics present in the areas of interest and the reassessment of a number of actions proposed by the European Action Plan. They also revealed that there is an average of 280 pairs in the project sites and the surrounding areas, bringing up the estimates of the total Greek population to 770 pairs (instead of 250). Promotion of the legislative background at national level : The project elaborated five Specific Environmental studies, one for each area, in which specific protection and management proposals were made. Three out of the five sites (Astypalaia, Leipsoi, Amorgos) were proposed as areas of eco-development, including zones of nature protection, whereas the other two (Kithira and Southern Aegean islets) were proposed exclusively as areas of nature protection. Local, regional and national authorities were lobbied and consulted throughout the period of elaboration of the management and protection proposals, so as to ensure their acceptance from the local groups as well as from the Ministry of Environment. Land acquisition : Even though originally not foreseen, the beneficiary purchased from a semi-public structure the rights of use of a 5 hectares islet (Prasonisi) in the area of Kithera for one year. This action was noteworthy since land rights purchase or land purchase aiming at nature conservation is very rarely practised in Greece. This means was used in order to control one of the main threats for L. audouinii colonies, namely the presence of goats in the islets. Management measures : The project undertook numerous management measures on the five sites of the project including : - Fencing of the colony in order to protect the birds from disturbance. The project team decided that further fencing in other colonies was not necessary, since colonies tend to be very mobile. - Removing of goats to minimise human disturbance. They were totally removed from islets in the area of Astypalaia and their owner was compensated while at the same time the number of goats and human disturbance in Fragos, Macronisi and Pita islets (Leipsoi complex) were significantly reduced after contacts with the local stock-breeders. - Rat control: Rat traps were set up, but the project team observed very little predation of L. audouinii from rats. The long-term control of rat populations is nevertheless useful to prevent rat overpopulation that could become a threat for L. audouiniithe. In fact, the beneficiary discovered that the most important predator is Falco peregrinus, an Annex I species itself. Therefore, no actions could be undertaken to restrain this type of predation. - Ringing: A total of 110 chicks were ringed in 1998 and 112 chicks in 1999. The beneficiary also undertook lobbying actions for the management of garbage in order to prevent the expansion of L. cachicans that compete with L. audouinii. The Ministry of Environment, which is the competent authority, has foreseen the creation of sites for sanitary burial of garbage in several islands. The beneficiary’s role in this action was only limited to lobbying, such issues falling under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment and the local authorities. Public awareness and dissemination of results : The project confirmed the importance of human disturbance as being the main threat for breeding colonies, and gave particular emphasis to public awareness in order to reduce it. The three main target groups most responsible for disturbance (fishermen, leisure boat owners and livestock owners) were informed about the importance of the species (whose ecological value cannot easily be appreciated since L. audouinii is often confused with the common gull) and the negative effect of disturbance. The project team also worked with all local schools of project areas with presentations and the circulation of an educational kit. The information campaign (through several information kiosks) in large islands (with a role of "entrance" to areas with small islets) was also successful. The project also launched an operational network between LIFE-Nature projects working on the same species (two in Spain, one in Italy) on the occasion of the L. audouinii international workshop that was organised by the beneficiary in 1999.
