Dagestan: people find help of "Minprirody" to freezing pelicans insufficient

On February 20, at a meeting at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment ("Minprirody"), activists of several public organizations of Dagestan accused ministerial officials of insufficient efforts to feed the curly pelicans, which are freezing in the bay of the Caspian Sea. The Ministry denies the accusations.

The situation with the freezing birds has caused broad resonance after the Dagestani journalist Gurizada Kamalova posted information about freezing pelicans on her blog and accused officials of the "Minprirody" of inactivity.

"You promised to feed the birds and brought 100 kilograms of fish provided the consumption rate of two kilos per pelican. On the next day there was 200 kilos; on the third day – the same quantity. But this is very small, the birds will not be able to gain strength and fly home; they will die in the eyes of citizens," wrote Kamalova. According to her story, when asked why it was so little fish, the head of the Dagestani "Minprirody" referred to weather conditions – the sea was frozen; and nobody was fishing.

"We decided to help and agreed with a wholesaler from the marketplace, who promised to bring two tons of fish. We were happy and called and told the good news: we found fish. In response, we were accused that our activeness in forcing officials to buy fish stemmed from our receiving a percentage from sales," she said.

On February 19 members of the public came to the check-point of the dockyard aiming to feed the pelicans, but they were not let in, said Elena Denisenko, an activist of the Dagestani Branch of the Human Rights Centre "Memorial".

"There was nobody from 'Minprirody' there. After the talks, swearing and an hour of waiting in the frost, the people and inspectors of the Dagestani Reserve were let to get in," said Elena Denisenko.

Officials of "Minprirody" reject accusations moved by the public against them.

Now, there are about three hundred pelicans in the Makhachkala Bay; mainly those birds that could not fly to the south and had to stay in Makhachkala for the winter. According to experts, pelicans eat fish exclusively in shallow water; therefore it will be difficult for them to self-feed in the frozen Caspian Sea.