Egypt's   Ministry of Environment Monitors   First Swarms of Migratory Birds in South Sinai  

Egypt's Ministry of Environment announced today, Monday, that the Sinai Protected Area has monitored the first swarms of migratory birds during their annual flight during the autumn season from Europe and Asia to South Africa, passing over  Egypt.

Dr. Yasmine Fouad,   Minister of Environment, said that large groups of white storks were monitored in the protected areas of Ras Mohammed and the Oxidation lakes in Sharm El Sheikh, where the birds used to take these lakes as a stop on their long journey.

The minister revealed her ministry's efforts to develop and qualify naturals reserves in the Sinai Peninsula to receive the birds to rest and feed before completing their journey.

She explained that the continued landing of the white stork in its usual stations in the reserves of South Sinai confirms the integrity of the ecosystem and the success of the ministry's plans in developing reserves and preserving their biological persity and natural resources.

She added that    Egypt seeks to fulfill the relevant international conventions and treaties in this regard, especially in the light of Egypt's presidency of the 14th Conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

She pointed out that  South Sinai reserves examined groups of birds that were monitored, as it was found that there is a number of rings on the legs of these birds belonging to international associations and organizations, who are interested in migratory birds to follow them and monitor their path and the risks they are exposed to during their migration journey to know the climatic and environmental conditions in the countries of Africa and Europe.

It is worth noting that with more than 180 participating countries, Egypt’s “Conservation of migratory birds along the Red Sea/Rift Valley flyway” project won the Energy Globe Award for National Project 2020.

For Over 20 years now, the Energy Globe Award has been honoring the best projects addressing environmental issues.

This year, Egypt’s pioneer project to protect migratory birds along the Red Sea/Rift Valley flyway was recognized internationally.

The Gulf of Suez falls into one of the heaviest bird migration routes in the autumn and spring seasons (Rift Valley / Red Sea flyway).

This flyway is the second most important flyway for migratory birds, an estimated 1.5 million birds of 37 species use this corridor between their breeding grounds in Europe and West Asia.