In February 2026, GPS-GSM transmitters were successfully deployed on Yelkouan shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan) in the Gulf of Kalloni (Lesvos Island, Greece) in collaboration with Hellenic Ornithological Society / BirdLife Greece.
(tracked from the Gulf of Kalloni )
The capture protocol, previously tested in the Istanbul Strait (2024-25), was adapted to local conditions in Kalloni Gulf. In this case a net is extended between a fixed buoy and a boat rather than towed between two vessels.
The data collected will help document migration routes between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, during the pre-laying period and may reveal new breeding colonies on islands and islets across the region.
This study has been conducted through a collaborative effort involving:
CIESM
Dr Loriane Mendez
Hellenic Ornithological Society / LIFE Mare Natura
Danae Portolou
Angelos Evangelidis
Independant researcher:
Dr Benjamin Metzger
Acknowledgements: Captain Kostas Dimou for his precious help on board.
