site.btaHundreds of Bramblings Found Dead near Koprivshtitsa Likely Due to Fireworks

Hundreds of bramblings have died on New Year's Eve near Koprivshtitsa, Western Bulgaria, the NGO Green Balkans Federation told BTA on Thursday. The likely cause of death was stress caused by the fireworks.

The birds were roosting some 200 metres away from the town, veterinarian Dr Rusko Petrov specified. An autopsy established massive haemorrhages in the abdominal cavities and skulls.

Bramblings are protected under Bulgaria's Biological Diversity Act. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species has them listed as not endangered, however, their population is declining. The mass use of pyrotechnics during the winter holidays causes stress and threatens the lives of both wild and domestic animals. People can also be impacted by that stress.

Petrov said that other bird species may have suffered during the New Year's Eve, as long-eared owls, western barn owls and little owls living in human settlements are particularly prone to stress. The veterinarian drew attention to the tendency for people to spend the holidays away from the city and closer to nature, thus getting closer to wild animals that could be impacted by noisy celebrations and bright lights.

Every year, conservation organizations call for avoiding pyrotechnics during the holidays, as pets and stray animals can panic at the deafening thunder.