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The Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR) launches the "PETlican" campaign, which aims to reduce the amount of plastic in the Danube Delta by promoting responsible behavior towards waste collection and knowledge of biodiversity in the area.
According to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday, the campaign will take place between August 16 and 27.
"Plastic pollution of the Danube waters is mainly the consequence of the misbehavior of the inhabitants of the whole country regarding non-biodegradable waste. In recent years, the Danube Delta has become an increasingly attractive tourist destination for Romanians, visitors coming here from all country regions. We want to show tourists and locals how our way of life affects nature and other living beings," said the coordinator of the project, Dora Doma, Agerpres informs.
The project ambassador is an emblematic bird for the Danube Delta, but also easily recognizable to the general public: the common pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus). It is one of the few species in our country that nests in one place, in the Danube Delta, which makes it vulnerable. In order for the pelican not to become a "PETlican" in the future, the project wants to sound the alarm about the dangers to which many of the species are exposed due to the negligence and indifference of humans, the press release said.
According to scientists, mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has grown so rapidly that mankind has so far produced more than 8 billion tonnes of plastic waste. In addition, plastic takes over 400 years to degrade, and some of it remains in nature in various forms. Birds can easily confuse food-floating plastics with food, and ingesting them can cause injury or even death.
The "PETlican" project is part of the "Clean Waters" programme, which is a call for involvement in combating and preventing plastic pollution of Danube waters, addressed to members of communities and public authorities in the Danube localities.
