More than 1,000 flamingos have returned to Akrotiri Salt Lake following the recent rain, among them Melani, a rare black female flamingo. Melani has been visiting the lake since 2015, and the flock is growing daily, the British Bases said in a statement on Thursday.
Thomas Hadjikyriakou, manager of the Akrotiri Environmental and Education Centre (AEEC), said Melani was back and doing well. Her black plumage is caused by melanism, a genetic mutation that turns feathers black instead of the usual colours. Hadjikyriakou said she was “likely the only melanistic flamingo in the world” and that very little was known about it.
He warned the public not to approach the bird or walk into the lake, as this would disturb the flamingos and their habitat. He urged visitors to use the centre’s facilities instead. According to Georgia Theodorou, who works at the centre and monitors the flamingos, these include an observation deck with four telescopes looking out over the salt lake.
“There is no way of telling how long they will stay for,” Theodorou said, advising people to visit as soon as they could.
The flamingos come to the salt lake every year to feed on brine shrimp and plankton. They usually stay from October to February, though some remain all year round if conditions are suitable.
