Hundreds of flamingos have returned to Akrotiri Salt Lake following the first rainfall of the season last week.
Experts at the Akrotiri Environmental and Education Centre (AEEC) estimate that close to 300 are now at the salt lake site, with numbers increasing daily.
AEEC manager, Dr Thomas Hadjikyriakou, said he was thrilled to see the flamingos return and urged bird watchers to take advantage of the centre’s facilities to get the best experience.
He said: “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.
“There is an observation kiosk here at the AEEC with three telescopes looking towards the Salt Lake and we can host up to 100 visitors at the same time.”
Hadjikyriakou did warn, that people should not try to go near the birds or walk into the lake as it could disrupt their habitat.
Every year the flamingos flock to the Salt Lake to feed off brine shrimps and plankton, with many of them staying all-year round if the conditions remain perfect.
“They usually stay between October and February but there is no way of telling how long they will be here for,” he said.
