Local Birdfair raises $125,000 for bird conservation project in Egypt

Thursday, 12 September 2024 10:34

Source: Rutland & Stamford Sound news library

Organisers of this year's Global Birdfair have announced they raised $125,000 for a conservation project in Egypt.

Proceeds from the three day event at Rutland Water will fund a new observatory for the university there to track thousands of birds, particularly Raptors, on their winter migration. Around 13,000 visitors came to the event at its new home at Lyndon Top in July. Location organisers hoped to be its new home for years to come. So far, with support from Bird Life International, the bird fairs in Rutland have raised over £42 million for conservation projects worldwide. Founder Tim Appleton says Rutland is once again making a huge difference.

‘This new Galala Observatory that we're funding will provide facilities for people to go and look at the birds, stay locally so have benefits for positive eco nature tourism. There's a brand new university there who are really, really keen on doing environmental training and courses and so will be using students from the university. Training them on identification, training them about nature conservation and this is really really exciting. Ticks lots of boxes and I'm so proud that Penny and I here in little Rutland you know continue to support international conservation’.