Champions Of The Flyway 2023 – Saving the Red-breasted Goose on the Asian-Euro Flyway

By Save Branta, Save Branta

This year, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) participates with a team in “Champions Of The Flyway” – a competition dedicated to the protection of one of the world’s most threatened goose species – the Red-breasted Goose. Support it by donating funds and sharing the cause to reach more people.

Until the end of March 2023, BSPB and the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) are raising funds to fight one of the most serious threats to the Red-breasted geese during migration – illegal killing.

DONATE AND HELP SAVE RED-BREASTED GEESE at https://justgiving.com/fundraising/bspb-team

The BSPB Team is made up of the leading members of the BSPB goose monitoring team over the last decade. They are all core staff on the current Life project for the Flyway of the Red-breasted Goose and cooperate closely on the winter monitoring and satellite tracking work. You can find out details about them HERE.

Climate change along with illegal killing and infrastructure development – i.e. windfarm at key sites is exert enormous pressure on this long-distant migrant that needs to cross two continents and numerous borders to complete a safe life cycle.

The amount our team is aiming to raise is €4,200. 100% of the funds to combat the illegal killing of Red-breasted Geese  will be used in the following ways:

  • Satellite tagging geese to guide conservation efforts and inform on threats – already proved to be an effective tool to uncover illegal killing and persecution, tagging will lead the teams on the ground to the birds, instructing where fieldwork and monitoring should focus.
  • Assembling and deploying monitoring teams (in partnership with local law enforcement) – checking active hunting parties and their acquired quarry for any illegally-killed species (Red-breasted Goose and Lesser White-fronted Goose).
  • Ensuring the prosecution of illegal hunters by gathering and presenting evidence and following through with strict legal processes, in partnership with local law enforcement
  • Educating and engaging hunters by direct communication, outreach and interpretive materials (including installing information banners throughout all key sites, with site-specific information about each).

“Champions Of The Flyway” is a fund- and awareness-raising event organized by BirdLife International and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.  In 2023, the campaign is dedicated to the conservation of the globally endangered Red-breasted goose. The culmination of the initiative is the famous 24-hour Bird Race in Eilat, Israel, on March 27th.

Join this exciting event HERE.