ENERGO-PRO launches an action for the protection of rare bird species in the Natural Park “Rusenski Lom”

Company teams secure power lines with special insulation to protect protected species

On the eve of International Earth Day, April 22, ENERGO-PRO specialists launched an action to put protective insulations on electrical poles to protect inhabiting or migrating birds in the Rusenski Lom Nature Park. The project is implemented at the initiative of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB).

ENERGO-PRO Networks teams are installing protectors on nearly 100 electric poles on 20 kV overhead power lines in the area of the Ruse villages of Nisovo and Kosov. The insulation is resistant to ultraviolet rays and protects the birds from falling under tension during their frequent landing on the poles.

The choice of this area is not at all accidental. It is here that feeding grounds for birds of prey have been built and, according to biodiversity experts in the natural park, in these places, it is expected that there will be a large concentration of birds, among them the Egyptian vulture, included in the list of world protected species. Securing poles by ENERGO-PRO teams in as much perimeter as possible around the sites is extremely important for the survival of these birds. Very often, after feeding, they use precisely the poles to rest, and there is a risk of falling under tension.

“Unfortunately, we have cases of Egyptian vultures dying as a result of landing on power lines. Not small is also the number of young white and black storks, which, due to their inexperience and lack of a built instinct, especially during migration, also perish. The plastic insulators installed by ENERGO-PRO on the electric poles are one of the successful ways to protect endangered species as well as to preserve their population,” said Stoyan Nikolov, expert at Rusenski Lom Nature Park.

The joint action on securing the electric poles is implemented under the international project “Help for the Egyptian Vulture”, co-financed under the LIFE+ program of the European Commission with the participation of ornithologists from the BSPB, the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water (RIESW) — Ruse in cooperation with the electricity distribution company. The project covers 27 target areas within the scope of Natura 2000 and brings together the efforts of 4 partners from 3 countries to save the last Egyptian vultures on the Balkan Peninsula.

Currently, there are 192 species of birds in the natural park, 124 of which are protected species. Among them, the most valuable are the Egyptian vulture, which is on the verge of extinction, and the black stork.

For another year, ENERGO-PRO actively participates in initiatives for the conservation of rare bird species in partnership with BSPB. It is in the area of North-Eastern Bulgaria, where one of the main migration routes of birds from Europe to Africa - Via Pontica - is one of the main routes of migration of birds from Europe to Africa, where the most insulation and platforms for stork nests are installed. The main goal is to preserve the life of the white stork that nests in this area. This route is followed by many species of birds of prey, waterfowl and songbirds, among which 78% of all storks, the entire population of pink pelican in Europe, as well as the extremely rare species of Imperial Eagle, Egyptian and Griffon Vulture.

In 2013, the company's teams installed insulators on medium-voltage poles in the Gabrovo region, since in the area of the city of Gabrovo. In Sevlievo, cases of dead white storks were found on power lines. Insulations for the protection of the white stork were also placed in the Dobrich region, on the territory of the village. Draganovo.

In connection with the program for the conservation of the hunting falcon, in the area of Dobrich and Silistra districts, protectors were installed on about 300 poles of a medium-voltage network under the LIFE+ program of the European Union with the assistance of the BSPB.

ENERGO-PRO annually makes efforts to support initiatives for the conservation of rare bird species on the territory of North-Eastern Bulgaria. The change of the landscape in Northeastern Bulgaria and the installation of wind generators in recent years have changed the places of migration of birds. They are heading from their usual places to more unfamiliar ones, as a result of which cases of dead storks, hunting falcons, etc. have become more frequent. ENERGO-PRO together with BSPB and RIESV is doing everything possible to save endangered bird species from extinction.