Hundreds of flamingos have returned to Akrotiri salt lake after the area saw its first rainfall of the season last week.
According to the Akrotiri Environmental Education Centre (AAEC), around 300 flamingos are now at the lake, with that number said to be increasing daily.
AAEC manager Thomas Hadjikyriakou said he was “thrilled” to see the flamingos return to the lake, and urged birdwatchers to “take advantage of the centre’s facilities to get the best experience.”
“We are all very excited to see them again. Not many people have been fortunate enough to see these beautiful creatures from so close in the past, so I suggest they take the opportunity to come and visit us,” he said.
He added that the AAEC has an “observation kiosk” with three telescopes overlooking the salt lake, and that the facility can host up to 100 visitors at the same time.
He did warn members of the public to “not try to go near the birds or walk into the lake”, as it could disrupt their habitat.
The flamingos return to the salt lake every year to feed off the brine shrimps and plankton which live in it, with some remaining at the lake all year round if the conditions remain suitable.
Hadjikyriakou said the birds usually remain at the lake between October and February, but said there is “no way of telling how long they will be here for”.
“My advice would be to take the opportunity to see them now, because we cannot be sure when they decide to leave,” he added.
The arrival of flamingos in Akrotiri comes just days after the arrival of the year’s first flamingos at Larnaca’s salt lake.
