Protecting the Sani Wetlands
The Sani company has undertaken an important environmental initiative – studying and protecting the birdlife of the Sani wetlands. The Sani wetlands is a large expanse of land, 110 hectares, that is located next to the Sani luxury hotels in Greece, home to over 200 species of birds, many of them rare and endangered. The man in charge of this project, which lasted for over a year and was funded by the company, is environmentalist and forestry expert Lefteris Kakalis, who brings great expertise and enthusiasm to the task of protecting this remarkable habitat. The objective was to plan and implement a monitoring programme for the birds and their habitats in the area’s wetlands, which involves producing a systematic inventory of wild bird populations, setting up a database of birds and determining the priority species (protected and rare species). The aim was also to describe the threats to the most important bird species and decide on the necessary protective measures. The project and Mr. Kakalis’s work is overseen by Mr. Akriotis, professor at the University of the Aegean, who is the leading ornithologist in Greece. Mr. Kakalis has recorded the progress of his study, month by month, in the blog below. The first phase of the study has now been concluded. The results confirmed the high biodiversity found in the area, and its great value and importance in this respect. The total number of species recorded was 214. From these, the species that are included in the most recent Red List of Threatened Species of Greece are 67 or 31% of the total number recorded in the Sani wetlands. Out of these, four are characterised as critically endangered: the glossy ibis, graylag goose, corn bunting and the montagu’s harrier. Seven are characterised as endangered, and those are the bittern, purple heron, black stork, greater spotted eagle, Mediterranean gull, whiskered tern and the black tern. Lastly, in the category of the vulnerable, twenty three species are included, or 11% of the total species. In total, 34 species, or 16% of species recorded in the Sani Wetlands are included in the three most important categories of the Red List. At the same time, 93 species fall into the three most important protection categories on a European level (SPEC), as defined by Birdlife International. With the help of the experts, our company will further invest in ensuring programmes are carried out in order to protect this invaluable biodiversity and ensure we can admire it for years to come. On your next visit to luxury Sani resort in Greece, you can ask for detailed maps with suggested walks in the wetlands, so that you too, like our experts, can admire the birds. Indigenous populations, passerines, migrating birds, sea birds, raptors – the wetland is full of an amazing wealth of birdlife, that will be sure to take your breath away.
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About Lefteris Kakalis
Lefteris Kakalis is a doctoral candidate in environmental and ecological studies at the University of the Aegean, who has already completed postgraduate studies in environmental policy and management. He has worked in a number of European programmes, as well as national research programmes involving the protection of birds in Greece. He specializes in ornithological studies, in the planning and implementation of monitoring schemes and the ecology of bird populations. He is a member of the Greek Ornithological Society and the Greek Centre for Bird Ringing. Overseeing his work is Mr. Akriotis, professor at the University of the Aegean and founding member of the Greek Ornithological Society (the Greek partner of Birdlife International).
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We would like to thank our guests for the amazing photos from the Sani Wetlands.
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Turtle (Mauremys rivulata)
Sani Resort within the Sani Green program organized special events that lasted 4 days, in cooperation with with the Hellenic Ornithological Society and Action for the Wildlife, on the occasion of the international celebration Eurobirdwatch. In favour of the protection and the sustainability of the Sani Wetlands, the events took place on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th for the Elementary school of Nea Fokea, Saturday 18th for the guests of the resort and Tuesday 21st for the Elementary school of Afytos. The events incuded guided tours and bird watching, environmental education activities, wildlife photography exhibition. More than 300 people took part on this four-day celebration. Children as expected, enjoyed everything more and learnt a lot about bird life and their habits through games and handicrafts. Bird-masks and mini paper binoculars were some of the things that the kids so happily created!
The birds that were spotted during the bird watching activities are the following:
Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)
Teals (Anas crecca)
Pochards (Aythya ferina)
Shovellers (Anas clypeata)
Pintails (Anas acuta)
Wigeons (Anas penelope)
Marsh Harriers (Circus aeroginosus)
Little egrets (Egretta garzetta)
Grey Herons (Ardea cinarea)
Chris Serafeimidis
Sani Resort Eco Guide
Migration is at its peak at the Sani Wetlands!
If anyone goes to the Sani Wetlands, he will have the chance to see Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber), Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta), more than 200 Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus), Night Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax), Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia), and Spotted Redshanks (Tringa erythropus) among other waders that are gathering together, getting ready for their long migration journey back to Africa.
Also, the Honey Buzzards (Pernis apivorus) have started their journey and you might see them around the bushes picking up insects such as bees.
Chris Serafeimidis, Sani Resort Eco Guide
  
After the measurements that took place by the Hellenic Ornithological Society/Birdlife Greece, we found out that we are very lucky to have 270 Black-Winged Stilts visiting the wetkands of Sani! These small,black and white summer visitors can be seen both in lake Gerani and lake Stavronikitas. The star of our new fairytail “Hermes the Black-Winged Stilt” are one of the most important birds of this unique eco system!
 
Chris Serafeimidis, Sani Resort Eco-Guide
The Hellenic Ornithological Society/Birdlife Greece now have a permanent home at the Sani Marina, between the k-books bookstore and the Toms store.
Visitors to the marina are invited to come by the Birdlife Greece stand and learn more about birds, the Sani wetlands and the eco-activities on offer at Sani Resort, hear bird calls through the solar-powered audio system, as well as buy unique souvenirs in support of bird conservation in Greece. Children can also learn more about birds and their habitats through playing, as well as engage with arts and crafts games, creating bird masks.
The Birdlife Greece stand will be open every day except from Wednesdays, from 11:00-13:00 and 18:00-23:00.
Chris Serafeimidis, Sani Resort Eco-guide
     
Explore the new signs that have been posted on the Sani Wetlands area by our joint Sani-Birdlife International team. Through these, guests are informed about fascinating facts about the biodiversity of the area, the different habitats such as the pine forest and the sand dunes. Learn about the secret life of fallen trees and the fungi they provide shelter for or the Sardinian warbler- a frequent and friendly visitor to the wetlands. Make sure to wander around Mesonisi forest or walk to the wetlands and explore the new signs and let us know what you think.
Chris Serafeimidis, Sani Resort Eco-guide
   
Happy World Environment day!
During the Monitoring of the Sani wetlands birds in the framework of the Sani wetland Project, the Hellenic Ornithological Society/ BirdLife Greece team has observed babies of Shelducks (Tdorna tadorna), Mallards (Anas platyrynchos), Coots (Fullica atra) and several other wetland birds. It seems that every place around Sani wetlands has a happy family!
Also Gull-billed Turns (Sterna nilotica) are trying to make a nest for the first time in Sani wetlands. Let’s hope that the happy couple will make it!
In adition to these news, I was very happy to enjoy the company of a courageous Hare (Lepus europaeus) that was intrigued by my presence at the wetlands.
Christos Serafeimidis
Sani Resort Eco-guide
Celebrating the World Migratory Bird Day in the Sani Wetlands (11 May 2014)
The WMBD was celebrated in the Natura 2000 protected area of Sani wetlands with two special bird watching tours.
The tour gave to the participants the chance to see the most important habitats for the wildlife of the Sani wetland area, as well as many of its inhabitants, with the birds having the first role!
After passing the sand dunes and crossing the Pine forest, full of bird sounds (Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Great Tits, Flycatchers, Turtle Doves, Blackbirds, Sardinian Warblers, Shrikes and many more) we reached the freshwater lake Stavronikita in order to watch its migratory bird species with binoculars and telescopes. Little Egrets, Purple Herons, Squacco Herons, Coots, Shelducks, Pochards, Black-winged Stilts were present, along with Marsh Harriers, Kestrels and Buzzards. The most important observation of the day was eight Glossy Ibises flying upon the wetlands towards their rousting sites.
Bird migration in the Sani wetlands is a real celebration!
Christos Serafeimidis
Sani Resort Eco-guide
  
  
  
Promising is this winter at Sani wetlands with two new species for the area, one White-tailed Eagle and one Pallid Harrier.
Many waterfowls such as Mallards, Shelducks and Teals, White-fronted Geese, Spotted Eagles and many seabirds such as Black-throated Loons and Great Crested Grebes make the scene of winter at the Sani wetlands really picturesque!
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