++ The migration season is now in full flow ++ Every year there are 25 million birds killed illegally, including thousands of white storks ++ International Campaign to fight against the killing of birds has been launched ++

Three weeks ago, a flock of white storks landed on the Mediterranean island of Malta. Poachers immediately set about hunting down these magnificent large birds. It is now believed that all the storks have been shot dead.

The project to preserve wet meadows and pastures has delivered great success for the white storks of Europe over the past four years. This project, initiated by EuroNatur, other nature conservation organisations, and the Stork Villages, provides an excellent basis for further approaches to protect the emblematic birds.

Over time it has become a strong tradition: From June 14th – 17th 2018, representatives of the European Stork Villages met for the 15th time. Hosts of this year’s stork village conference were the stork community of Altreu in Switzerland.

Once a year in the first week of May, the residents of the Macedonian stork village Češinovo-Obleševo come together to celebrate the return of the elegant gliders from their African wintering areas. It is a clear sign that spring has finally arrived.