site.btaUPDATED Over 20 Dead Storks Found Near Gabrovo, Electrocution Suspected

More than 20 dead white storks have been found near Gabrovo, all beneath the same electricity pole, Dr. Rusko Petrov, head of the Scientific, Educational and Conservation Activities Department at the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Centre, said here on Monday.

Following reports of an unusually high number of dead storks near the Gabrovo landfill, a rescue centre team inspected the area and collected five carcasses for veterinary examination. The tests will determine the cause of death and confirm or rule out electrocution. Petrov pointed out that the results would be sent to the relevant authorities, including Gabrovo Municipality, to help initiate measures to make the electricity network safer.

Later in the day, Gabrovo Municipality said it will urgently commission a company to prepare an expert assessment of possible additional measures to improve the safety of the seven electricity poles and a pole-mounted transformer substation in the area of the regional landfill.

Following the construction of the landfill, Energo-Pro installed special bird-protection devices on all lattice steel electricity poles supplying power to the site, the municipality added. The forthcoming assessment will determine what additional measures can be taken to make the electricity infrastructure serving the landfill safer for birds.

“These are young birds that are currently migrating and use Bulgaria as a place to regain their strength before continuing south,” he emphasized, adding that the problem affects more than storks, as other protected species found dead near power poles include buzzards, white-tailed eagles, imperial eagles, golden eagles, kestrels and honey buzzards. Petrov noted that Bulgaria has made significant progress in recent years in securing dangerous sections of the electricity grid.

On August 7, the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water (RIEW) in Veliko Tarnovo requested that the electricity distribution company take measures to secure the electrical installations in the area of ​​the Regional Non-Hazardous Waste Landfill in Gabrovo as soon as possible due to numerous cases of dead white storks as a result of contact with the power grid. The RIEW insisted that measures be taken to secure the facilities by installing diverters on the wires and insulating covers on the poles in order to limit bird deaths.