Cyprus lake blanketed by pink flamingos
The lakes are rich in food sources for the flamingos such as shrimps.
LARNACA (Reuters) - More than 12,000 flamingos have arrived on the lakes of Cyprus, one of the most important destinations for the "greater" flamingo species due to its rich wetlands.
Each year thousands of flamingos fly to the Larnaca and Akrotiri salt lakes, following a migration route from Turkey to Africa.
The lakes are rich in food sources for the flamingos such as shrimps, which have a pigment that gives the flamingos their pink colour.
"It is a very important habitat for the flamingos because here (Cyprus) first of all they can find food, then they can rest," said Michael Varnavas of the Akrotiri Environmental Education Centre.
In previous years climate change has affected the migratory birds, said Varnavas. Drought caused by climate change has decreased water levels of lakes such as Akrotiri, influencing the migration habits of the birds.
"The last few years it (climate change) was a problem, because most of the flamingos they didn’t visit the salt lake because it was very dry before 2016, and the flamingos did not stop here in our salt lake," said Varnavas.
Cyprus is often plagued by droughts and has suffered water shortages in the past. Scientists have predicted the island will be further impacted by decreased rainfall and drought due to climate change in the future.
Akrotiri and Larnaca salt lakes are of the most important habitats in the region for waterfowl.
