The flamingo population wintering in Cyprus has reached historically low levels, particularly in Akrotiri Salt Lake, according to a joint press release from BirdLife Cyprus and the Game and Fauna Service.

Recent mid-winter waterbird surveys highlight an alarming decline in flamingo numbers (Phoenicopterus roseus), signaling severe degradation of Cyprus’s wetlands.

For the first time since 1992, when systematic surveys began, only 30 flamingos were recorded in Akrotiri Salt Lake in January 2025—a figure lower than during the severe drought of 2008. In recent years, only 100 to 250 flamingos have been observed at the site annually, compared to 2,000 to 5,000 in previous years, and up to 8,000 to 13,000 in peak years.

The reduction in flamingo numbers is linked to multiple environmental factors, including:

• Urban development within wetland catchment areas, impacting water quality and quantity.

• Changes in biological water composition, such as the decline of zooplankton, a crucial food source for flamingos.

• Environmental pressures across the Eastern Mediterranean affecting migratory bird patterns.

• The impact of climate change on wetland ecosystems.

The statement says that a coordinated response from all relevant authorities, including the Cyprus government and the British Sovereign Base Areas, is urgently required to:

• Investigate the causes of flamingo population decline at Akrotiri Salt Lake.

• Identify sources of abnormal water inflows affecting quantity and quality.

• Implement measures to restore water quality and prevent localized pollution.

• Ensure long-term conservation of this internationally significant wetland, designated as a Ramsar site due to its importance for flamingos and other wintering waterbirds.