tenth of their world population. This spectacle is a big draw
for one of the Delta’s other regular clientele – tourists. The
delta is a valuable source of income for local people: saltpans
and a fishing co-operative create further livelihoods.
The conservation world recognises the Gediz Delta’s
significance. Not only is it listed as an Important Bird &
Biodiversity Area (IBA) and a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), but
also a Ramsar site – a wetland of international importance.
But it is also in danger. The Gediz River is polluted, and the
city of Izmir is slowly encroaching. There have been plans for
a sewage treatment plant, a seaport, and proposals to dump
7 million m3 of polluted mud within the IBA boundaries.
Last year, however, the worst threat was announced: a
huge mega-bridge that would connect the southern and
northern coasts of the Izmir Bay. Building this bridge would
apr-jun 2018 • birdlife
destroy crucial breeding islands and foraging areas across the
northern end of the Delta.
Fortunately, the Delta isn’t without defendants. Doğa Derneği
(BirdLife in Turkey) have started a legal case against the bridge
development. They’re also carrying out a wetland restoration
project, funded by the MAVA Foundation, to rejuvenate land
that has been degraded. Losing this strategic habitat could
tip the balance for a host of Globally Threatened species,
meaning the difference between recovery and extinction.
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis
Photo Iliuta Goean / Shutterstock
0 Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus
Photo Zaferkizilkaya / Shutterstock
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