audouin s — audouin s — The rocky islets off Cyprus’s Karpasia peninsula have been designated a conservation priority under a new EU action plan aimed at protecting one of the Mediterranean’s rarest seabirds, the Audouin’s gull. Monitoring data indicates that this colony is experiencing a worrying decline in its population.
In 2025, the European Union adopted the International Action Plan for Audouin’s gull, as reported by BirdLife Cyprus. This comprehensive plan was developed by BirdLife International and SPEA Portugal, utilising the latest scientific data to address the needs of this vulnerable species.
The action plan is informed by evidence gathered from 15 countries, including Cyprus, and outlines the distribution areas of the Audouin’s gull as well as the various pressures it faces. Among its targeted conservation priorities is the Kleides islets, which serve as the only breeding ground for Audouin’s gulls in Cyprus.
Located at the northeastern tip of the Karpasia peninsula, the Kleides islets are vital for not only Cyprus’s seabirds but also for the broader conservation of the species across the Mediterranean region. BirdLife Cyprus has been collecting systematic data from this location since 2007, in collaboration with the Turkish Cypriot organisation Kuşkor. This partnership has significantly contributed to understanding the status and needs of Audouin’s gulls.
Despite the presence of active nests and young birds, BirdLife Cyprus warns that long-term trends reveal a troubling decline in the population of Audouin’s gulls. This situation underscores the urgency for enhanced protection measures for the colony.
The new action plan translates collective scientific knowledge into coordinated efforts aimed at safeguarding the future of Audouin’s gulls. For Cyprus, this plan is particularly crucial as it represents a key tool for securing the future of the species at the Kleides islets, which host the easternmost breeding colony in the world.
