The breeding colony of Pelecanus onocrotalus in the Senegal Delta is probably the largest in Africa, with an estimate (according to the literature) of around 4,000 pairs.
Colonies in Europe and the Mediterranean have been ringed and marked with remote-reading rings (cr-Rings) numerous times over the past decades, especially in the Danube Delta and Israel, but also in Greece.
However, breeding pelicans in Africa have never been marked. In the Senegal Delta, in the heart of the Sahel, the resident population may receive some contributions from European and Mediterranean individuals. However, the routes and possible destinations of individuals born in Senegal are unknown.
For this reason, we have established a work plan with the Senegalese National Parks Directorate and are finalizing the details with the Director of Diawling National Park (Mauritania)—since Djoudj (Senegal) and Diawling are on two banks of the same Delta—to ring birds in the Senegal Delta using cr-Rings in the first phase, followed by satellite transmitters.
We would like to express our gratitude for the tremendous support received from the team at Djoudj and Langue de Barbarie parks, as well as for the advice and guidance of the experts and coordinators from Romania, Israel, Greece, and Tour du Valat (France).
The ringing team is made up of highly experienced ringers from Romania, Belgium, France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, under the coordination of Guillem Chacon, head of the Senegal Delta Ornithological Station and an expert in ringing colonies and large birds.