Actions for the conservation of the Bonelli’s Eagle in South Evia
On the initiative of IPTO (Independent Power Transmission Operator), buoys were placed on high voltage cables in the framework of the LIFE Bonelli eastMed programme
An important project for the protection of wild birdlife in southern Evia was implemented by IPTO, with the installation of appropriate buoys along overhead high-voltage overhead cables in sections of power transmission lines.
The initiative of IPTO took place in the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Energy, for the support of the conservation actions of the Bonelli’s Eagle population in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is part of the European LIFE Bonelli eastMed project, which is implemented in Greece by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Hellenic ORNITHOLOGICAL Society, the University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete and NCC.
The special equipment installed by IPTO minimises the chances of birds colliding with overhead transmission lines, as it drastically increases their visibility with reflective and fluorescent stickers.
The buoys make the transmission lines visible from a long distance, even in suboptimal weather, fog and at night, allowing passing birds to avoid the cables in time.
The choice of the transmission lines in southern Evia was made at the suggestion of the scientists involved in the LIFE Bonelli eastMed project, as they are located in a breeding and dispersal area of the endangered Bonelli’s Eagle.
The installation of the buoys on the overhead cables was carried out using drones, without the need to interrupt the power supply to the transmission lines.
"IPTO stands with environmental sensitivity and responsibility in an area of particular importance for the biodiversity of Greece and the Mediterranean in general. The installation of buoys on part of the Transmission Lines in southern Evia will make the Operator's infrastructure safer for wild bird species passing through the area. Our aim is to extend this solution, which has been successfully implemented by other European Operators, to additional parts of the power system with similar characteristics, such as areas of the NATURA 2000 network", commented the Director of Transmission System Maintenance Department of IPTO, Mr. Nikos Christou.
"We are very happy that, in cooperation with IPTO, we are proceeding with the implementation of such an important project, which aims to reduce the mortality of endangered birds and especially the Bonelli’s Eagle, from impacting high voltage networks. We hope that it is the beginning of a further spread of this good practice throughout the network in order to reduce the risks to endangered and rare bird species", said the project coordinator for the Hellenic ORNITHOLOGICAL Society, Mr. Nikos Tsiopelas.
