At the beginning of 2017, private investors “Mabetex Group” proposed a masterplan for the construction of a massive tourism resort, the so-called “𝘿𝙞𝙫𝙟𝙖𝙠𝙖 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝘼𝙡𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙖” at the Divjaka-Karavasta National Park. The whole panorama of the project was staggering in terms of dimensions, especially its location (core area of the National Park) and its prospective aim …

We are pleased to announce the launch of “AOS NEWSLETTER”, dedicated entirely to our actions and efforts for the conservation of the Albanian avifauna. The first issue of AOS NEWSLETTER will be sent out on the following days and it will be regularly published each month. The content of the AOS NEWSLETTER will consist of …

Only 6 breeding pairs and 3 single adults remain today in Albania and all of them along Vjosa (Aoos) river and its tributaries such as Drino river, Benca river, Shushica River, Kardhiq stream, etc. Those only nine territories are just a mere sign compared with the presence in 14 territories in 2004. Thus, the Globally …

The young naturalists of the “Eco Friends” youth club of Asim Zeneli High School from the stone city, Gjirokastra, in cooperation with the team of Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS), conducted an educative ornithological excursion in Divjaka-Karavasta National Park (DKNP). The main aim of the visit consisted of introducing the members of the Eco Friends youth …

Unlike the other Balkan countries, where the deliberate poisoning phenomenon is well-incorporated and clearly defined as a prohibited action in the legislation over the years, the intentional wildlife poisoning in Albania has not been regarded as a prohibited activity in the national legal framework till July 2019. As a consequence, the fact that wildlife poisoning …

In August and September 2019, the Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) conducted some 41 km of transect surveys for mapping of dangerous pylons and detecting mortality due to electrocution and collisions with power grid in the stronghold of the Egyptian Vulture in Drino valley, part of the Globally Important Bird Area of Gjirokastra, in the southern …

Illegal Killing and Taking of Birds in Albania  According to Brochet et al (2016), Albania is listed among the most impacted countries from the illegal killing of birds with an average 265 000 birds killed per year. Approximately 30 000 – 40 000 birds are caught annually, 20% of which is thought to be traded …

World Wetlands Day 2020 – Wetlands and Biodiversity!  The 2nd of February is recognized as World Wetland Day (WWD), which marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. This international day was established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for …

During the second weekend of January (10-12th of January), like every year, the Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) became part of the  “International Waterbirds Census” (IWC) 2020. This international monitoring program is implemented in more than 143 countries and has been implemented in Albania since 1993. It has become a tradition for IWC to be joined …

On 24th January 2020 a national workshop was held in Tirana within the scope of “Balkan Anti-Poisoning Projects” and “Egyptian Vulture New Life” projects aiming at raising awareness among national responsible institutions on the scale, root causes and consequences of the illegal use of poison baits and wildlife crime in Albania. The national workshop “Anti-Poisoning …