SpeciesProtection - Protected area for endangered Common Terns in St. Peter-Ording
To protect the endangered common murre during its sensitive moulting phase, a temporary protection zone has been set up at St. Peter-Ording's Boehler Strand. It will remain in effect until the end of September and is part of a national species conservation program for nesting birds, as the St. Peter-Ording Tourism Center announced. The protection zone must not be entered, but guided tours are offered at the moulting site. The riding area at Boehler Strand can still be used on the remaining area.
According to reports, the most significant moulting site for the endangered common murre in the North Sea is located on the sandbanks of St. Peter-Ording. With approximately 300 breeding pairs, of which the majority breed in Schleswig-Holstein, the common murre is classified as "endangered" in Germany.
More than half of all common murres in the Wadden Sea gather here every year after the breeding season to renew their wing feathers for several weeks. In this phase, common murres are particularly disturbance-sensitive, as their flight ability is restricted and their energy requirements are increased due to moulting and preparation for the flight to their overwintering areas, said Armin Jeß from the National Park Administration in Tönning.
- The temporary protection zone for the common murre's moulting phase, essential for this endangered species protection, is situated in Schleswig-Holstein, specifically at St. Peter-Ording's Boehler Strand.
- Despite the presence of the protection zone, visitors can still enjoy guided tours to observe the common murres during their moulting period, away from the restricted area.
- It's crucial for the conservation of St. Peter-Ording's common murre population that the nearby riding area at Boehler Strand continues to operate for other recreational activities, not affecting the protection zone established for the bird species.
