An infrastructural “tsunami” is creeping up on the northern part of the peninsula

BirdLife Cyprus Team

There is something deeply disturbing about how one of our island’s most valuable ecosystems is quietly declining. In the southernmost part of Cyprus is the Akrotiri peninsula and an incredible complex of wetlands: a place of salt lakes, marshes, migratory birds and seasonal wonders. And yet, despite his legal protection and international importance, he is being left to fend for himself.

Swamps on the edge

The Akrotiri Wetlands Complex remains one of the most significant natural areas of Cyprus. Long designated as an area important for Birds and Biodiversity (IBA) and as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, it supports migratory birds, rare species and unique salt habitats. Salt marshes account for only 0.5–1% of all the different types of wetlands in the world, making them the rarest type of wetlands. But the signs of tension are obvious.

A tsunami-like wave of development is creeping up on the northern part of the peninsula: residential complexes, luxury villas, golf courses, casinos, and large-scale tourist infrastructure. The casino in Zakaki is just one of the symbols and the beginning of how economic ambitions and development can overshadow the environmental reality. The environmental impact is not limited only to the construction site, but also to subtle changes in hydrology, water quality, drainage, surface runoff, vegetation removal, and habitat loss.

And make no mistake, hydrology is changing. Roads are being built, the area of built-up areas is increasing, drainage channels are being laid through sensitive areas. In one recent case, illegal discharge of polluted waters into a drainage channel north of Salt Lake Akrotiri and Lake Makria, which are interconnected, was reported.

National agencies remained silent even after fines were imposed in the past for similar offenses. When relevant authorities show indifference or are unable to quickly take containment measures, the risk to the ecosystem increases, threatening irreversible damage.

When the water regime changes

For such a complex of salt marsh lakes as Akrotiri, it’s all about the balance of inflow and evaporation, fresh and salt water. Upset this balance too much, and you will lose the conditions that made wetlands unique in the first place.

New buildings and road works lead to an increase in freshwater runoff, illegal discharge of dehydrated water into the urban drainage system, changes in drainage routes, sewage seepage and other possible pollutants. The historical connections of swamps, coastal plains, and salt lakes are being disrupted.

The result? Vegetation shifts, invasion of reeds, loss of open salt flats, reduction of bird—friendly habitat, increase in mosquito breeding grounds – and the ecosystem is gradually turning into something less special, less complex and less stable.

The consequences for the species are real. Birds that rely on open brackish or salty plains will see their natural habitat reduced. The stopping places of migratory birds are deteriorating in quality. The biological richness and complexity that make Akrotiri important are destroyed not by one major event, but by the accumulation of small changes.

This is what conservationists would call “death by a thousand cuts,” when multiple environmental stressors combine to cause an ecosystem to decline.

Flamingos: a canary on a salt lake

Perhaps the most obvious wake-up call is the dramatic decline in the population of the famous Great Flamingos on salt Lake Akrotiri. Winter surveys in January 2025 showed that only 30 flamingos live in this area, which is the lowest figure since the beginning of systematic monitoring in 1992. This number is even lower than during the severe drought of 2008. Previously, the lake was home to 2,000 to 5,000 flamingos in a typical year; in exceptionally good years, up to 13,000 individuals were recorded.

(Photo: Albert Stoeskeg)

What does this reduction in numbers mean? Flamingos are highly visible, and their absence signals something much more subtle: failures in the habitat, hydrology, and food chains.

The reasons seem to be numerous: a change in the water regime, an influx of polluted water, a reduction in the amount of food (for example, artemisia or zooplankton), habitat fragmentation, and possibly climate signals. But the message is clear: if the flagship species disappears, something deeply wrong happens to the ecosystem in which it lives.

What does this say about us

When a state allows its most important wetland to drift uncontrollably, some difficult questions need to be asked. Do we take the value of nature and its protection seriously? Do we have a vision for nature conservation for future generations? Does the designation of protected areas mean more than words on paper? Do water resource planning and management agencies plan and coordinate in such a way as to protect, rather than just pay lip service to, nature conservation?

The situation in Akrotiri shows that economic growth and development are still prioritized over ecosystem stability. That hydrological management, often inconspicuous and unglamorous, remains ignored. And that when responsibilities are distributed (multiple jurisdictions), accountability becomes weak.

What is needed now is rapid, coordinated action.:

* Stop the influx of polluted waters into this fragile ecosystem;

* Conduct a full hydrological audit to map tributaries, drainage changes, backfilling, and threats to water quality;

* Introduce much stricter building controls in the catchment area with appropriate cumulative impact assessments and regulation of drainage and surface runoff;

* Tighten pollution monitoring and ensure compliance with legislation to stop illegal discharges;

* Ensure clear, unified management by the numerous authorities responsible for the Territory;

* carry out restoration work;

* Finally, ensure genuine public engagement that recognizes Akrotiri as not just a niche for nature, but more importantly, a vital national treasure providing flood protection, recreational opportunities, tourist value, and an integral part of Cyprus’ natural identity.

If we let this slip away by default, the losses will be felt long after the buildings and roads are built. If we act now with humility and foresight, we can stop the decline and make Akrotiri the pearl of Cyprus.

https://russiancyprus.news/news/society/akrotiri-wetlands-the-cost-of-neglect/