The company that manages Portugal’s airports, ANA Aeroportos, is to finance the bird rehabilitation centre in the Ria Formosa natural park in Olhão.
The bird centre will receive 40,000 euros a year from the company and will be managed privately.
According to João Alves, a spokesman from the Instituto de Conservação da Natureza e Biodiversidade, institute of nature conservation and biodiversity (ICNB), the funding was negotiated by the park’s previous director, Isabel Pires, as a voluntary measure to compensate for the environmental impact caused by Faro airport.
ANA Aeroportos will also be donating a further 40,000 euros annually to a similar centre in Seia, in the north of Portugal.
“These funds will ensure that a full time carer can be hired and a veterinarian can be called and paid for when required at the centres” said João Alves.
In 2007, the rehabilitation centre in the Ria Formosa rescued and treated a total of 31 Griffon Vultures, as well as other birds, and has already cared for 18 of that species so far this year.
Daniel Santos, the centre’s coordinator said: “We have seagulls, doves and pigeons; we help any animal that needs it.”
For more information about the centre in the Ria Formosa or to report an injured bird, please telephone 289 700 210.
