The everyday life of the world’s biggest bridesmaid has long been risky and the future uncertain. The scientists who have followed them for four decades are now beginning to understand what threatens them. And maybe new marine protected areas can save them.
On the island of Stenarna in Björn’s archipelago is Sweden’s largest colony of terns. Every year the researchers from Birdlife Sweden mark the chicks and follow how they develop. The wings, for example, grow on average but one centimeter a day.
– They are found in the Baltic Sea and then they are found in the Black Sea, and not in any other places in Europe, says Ulrik Lötberg, project manager for the Skräntärna project, which Birdlife Sweden runs.
The number of couples was halved
The alarm that something was not as it should came in the 80s. In the 90s, the number of birds in Sweden had halved to 400 pairs. Someone took the cubs, and the researchers wanted to find out who. In the end, a camera was rigged up and it turned out that both mink, greyhound and especially sea eagle had been present.
– In the past, you only found fish in sea eagle nests. Nowadays, they only find remains of birds. There is no fish, says Ulrik Lötberg.
The eagles have thus changed their diet because the Baltic Sea has been emptied of cod and pike, among other things.
A solution could be the 19 new protected marine areas that the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the county administrations are now proposing after criticism from the EU. Maybe the fish can come back plus the damselfish can have peace and quiet in more areas.
– Sometimes it has been the case that the nesting areas have been protected. And that’s great, but the birds need more than that. They need somewhere to look for food, places to rest and roost.
Unclear if the areas will be protected
But the government does not yet want to announce whether they want to approve the areas.
– I will come back when we have handled this in the government office and tell you how we intend to handle these issues, says Sweden’s Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L).
Cecilia Ronnås is nevertheless positive about the future of the ski girls:
– I feel that we do what we can for them. And there are a lot of people who are committed and follow them.