Tag: Nature travel

The natural world is a wondrous thing. We're so  lucky that one of the world's largest flying birds, the Dalmatian Pelican, with its 3m wide wingspan, is a resident species at our base, Lake Skadar. These giants of the sky take centre stage whenever we catch a glimpse, whether it's on the school run or out on tour. In the Springtime, pelicans can often be spotted fishing and feeding by the lake's main settlement, Virpazar.  We had an incredible chance meeting with a group of 22 just the other day as Ben and I edged our kayak through the rushes by Virpazar port. There they were, quietly bobbing on the water, surrounded by more than a hundred of their fishing buddies, the Pygmy Cormorant. Watching them reminded us what an amazing place we adopted as our home 13 years ago. Back then, though, spotting Dalmatian Pelican anywhere outside their remote breeding area just didn't happen. Numbers were seriously depleted, with the species classified as endangered on IUCN's red list. Fast forward to May 2021 and Lake Skadar's pelican population may be close to 300 or more (this year's census is still on-going!). It's a brilliant result for conservation work now in its fifth year, helping them breed more successfully using artificial rafts and with video monitoring to ward against human threats. We've been glad to be a part of this project over the years, helping out with donations and as volunteers and friends of the "team" (a diverse group of local and international partners united by one goal - ensuring Lake Skadar's pelicans can thrive). It's because of this close relationship and our commitment as responsible tourism practitioners that we've been able to pioneer a very special eco-tour indeed - kayaking to Lake Skadar's pelican breeding colony - in careful