A master’s thesis from Germany attests to the trend sport of stand-up paddling is a high interference potential for water birds. This is consistent with a report of the Swiss ornithological Institute in Sempach. There is a need for clearer information for water sports enthusiasts, warns the speaker of the bird Observatory.
In comparison with other water sports such as rowing or sailing, have a Stand-Up-Paddling (SUP) is an above average level of Disturbance to water birds, attests to a master’s thesis from Germany. The study, commissioned by the provincial Federation for the protection of birds reported, for example, of a case at the lake of Constance, where a stand-up paddler birds 1.5 kilometres away, scared, shocked. Still more, the animals would be disturbed only by motor-boats, the author of the study Matthias Bull.
A systematic survey for Switzerland is not yet released, but a report of the Swiss ornithological Institute in Sempach comes to a similar conclusion: A single Stand-Up paddlers could flush out the thousands of water birds, even from over a Kilometer distance, it is said. It could also lead to chain reactions: The most sensitive bird species can trigger a flight also insensitive to species.
do more Sit
In comparison to paddle – or rowboats occupied by the escape distances of birds – that is, the distances in which you take flight – therefore many times higher. “The Problem is that the Stand-Up-Paddling the Silhouette of the man is visible from afar,” explains Livio Rey, spokesman for the bird Observatory, in an interview with the Keystone Agency SDA. A swarm is, moreover, a lot of eyes that might catch a glimpse of the Silhouette. Individual birds fly out, the others will follow.
Since, the trend sport is becoming performed more and more popular and increasingly year-round, scarecrows, SUPs, even in the Winter water birds. A time during which contact the birds will not waste energy. The birds to be disturbed in certain areas, avoid those areas then. For sensitive species, the habitat is even scarcer than it already is.
habituation is not possible
Of course, ships and motor can get used to the water birds more, so Rey more boats with fixed routes. To the completely unpredictable movements of the Stand-Up Paddler, however, is not. The bird Observatory calls due to the high interference potential for a ban on SUPS in significant water bird areas and in a buffer zone of more than a Kilometer around.
The movement in nature we wanted to honour no one, so Rey. There are enough areas where SUPs are not a problem. The Problem is that it lacks the water-sport learning of information, where Stand-Up Paddling is problematic and where not.
“For Hiking tours, there are tour suggestions and information signs for protected areas, which explain the rules of behavior – on a lake, there are no such proposals, or signs.” The bird Observatory will search, therefore, the conversation with the authorities and organisations concerned, in order to explore how the awareness of water sports could be improved. (Dec/sda)
Created: 02.01.2019, 09:15 PM
