“Look up! Pelicans! Dead Ahead…”
“Oh yeah? Wow!”
Catching a glimpse of these extraordinary birds is a highlight for so many guests on our kayaking trips at Lake Skadar, but did you know that holidaying with us has helped fund urgent Dalmatian Pelican conservation work?
Thanks to our Book to Give Back scheme, we have been able to make the biggest donation in our company’s history to help one of the world’s most threatened waterbirds continue to thrive in Montenegro at a time of crisis.
We donated €3,000 to our charity partner CZIP, Montenegro’s equivalent of the RSPB, in April last year, and as a direct result, works completed in December to give vital new protection to the colony at Lake Skadar. A new nesting site they adopted last year is now safeguarded with buoys and signs to keep people at a safe distance and help these magnificent birds to breed undisturbed.
The protection measures come just in time for winter breeding season — ornithologists counted 49 nests on the island in last week’s winter count — and we’re all hoping to see lots of healthy chicks come March.
On the brink
The Dalmatian Pelican is the world’s largest pelican and heaviest flying freshwater bird, weighing in at 9.5kg respectively with a wingspan of up to 3 metres. They can be found in wetlands across southeast Europe, including a population of 71 breeding pairs at Lake Skadar, which is shared by Montenegro and Albania (Albanian name, Shkodra Lake). Sizeable colonies are also at Romania’s Danube-Delta, Albania’s Divjakë-Karavasta, and on Lake Prespa, shared by Albania and Greece.
Sadly, the species is endangered. Irresponsible tourism and poaching near nesting sites are two of the greatest human threats, next to construction near their habitats and natural threats such as bird flu and extreme weather.
“When we first arrived at Lake Skadar in 2008, Dalmatian Pelicans were on the brink of extinction at the lake, and you’d be lucky to spot one,” says Emma Heywood, co-founder of Undiscovered Balkans. ‘Now, thanks to conservation work, numbers have massively increased and pelicans can frequently be seen around the lake, especially in spring and summer — it’s a joy for our guests to spot them. Our small travel company got involved at an early stage, and to know we’ve played a role in helping these rare birds is incredibly rewarding.”
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Supporting Dalmatian Pelican Conservation
Conservation efforts at Lake Skadar to save the pelicans began in 2014 and local ornithologists have watched their numbers steadily increase until the last two years, when there was a dip in numbers, mainly due to bird flu. Our partners at CZIP credit this population growth to the introduction of artificial nesting rafts, constant monitoring and zoning off their former colony area, Pančeva Oka — work Undiscovered Balkans also helped to fund.
Unfortunately, the site remained vulnerable, lacking a ranger station close enough to intercept poachers quickly. In 2023, the pelicans gave everyone a surprise and were observed nesting at a completely different area of the lake, on a small rocky islet known as Mali Moračnik.
“When we found out the pelicans had moved to a vulnerable, unprotected breeding site right on our kayaking route to the island monasteries, we had to do something,” says Emma. “I asked our partners at CZIP what they needed, and they immediately replied, protection buoys and signs to keep people away — something no-one had anticipated needing or had budget for.
“We are pleased to have been able to step in to help the National Park, together with CZIP,” says Emma. “And it’s thanks to all our guests in 2023, who chose our Undiscovered Montenegro holidays, and a company that genuinely cares about sustainable tourism and supporting nature.”
“We look forward to seeing the fruits of our labour in spring, when hopefully there’ll be quite a few new additions to the colony.”
Trailblazing sustainable tourism in Montenegro
“In a country where environmentally aware enterprises are extremely rare, having Undiscovered Montenegro running their business sustainably and donating to nature is important and a great example for others to follow,’ says Jovana Janjušević, Executive Director of CZIP.
“From the very beginning when there were only a few pelicans, Emma and Ben were invested in their recovery not only through donations but also through advocating for their protection, also investing in the Save Skadar Lake campaign to push back against investors who wanted to destroy the very essence of the lake and the home of numerous species.”
Helping the Dalmatian Pelicans of Lake Skadar is just one example of how booking with Undiscovered Balkans contributes to travel as a force for good. Every guest booking supports vital work to preserve Montenegro’s wildlife and natural heritage for future generations. In 2024, we also donated €500 to the Save Komarnica campaign, supporting the fight against hydropower plans that would devastate a pristine ecosystem of exceptional value. Read more about our actions on our Responsible Travel page.
Want to make a difference on your next adventure? Book a holiday with us and help protect wildlife in Montenegro and our other destinations.
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