After a study over three decades, the scientific foundation Tour du Valat is a cry of alarm and called for more consistency in terms of preserving biodiversity. While the situation improve in the western Mediterranean, it degrades rapidly in the east. The wetlands around the Mediterranean serve as breeding grounds for many unique species, but some see their existence threatened by human occupation. Cataloged by the international Ramsar Convention, these areas are now under surveillance, through the initiative MedWet. Every three years, the Ramsar conference brings together around one table the representatives of the countries concerned as well as NGOs and universities.

On the occasion of the next meeting to be held in South Korea

from October 27, the association Tour du Valat, research center based in the Camargue, will present a study on the evolution of biodiversity in the Mediterranean 1970 our days. As outlined in this study, based on the index Planète Vivante used by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and the Zoological Society of London, the wettest terrain, including swamps, suffering from reputation of unnecessary and unhealthy environment, whereas this habitat is essential for the development of many species.

The temptation to make them disappear is not recent, and among the examples we found include the complete drying of Lake Karla, the largest expanse of water fresh from Greece, which left in 1960 near d ' half a million birds to their wintering area.

Species missing
We can continue with these examples that the little toad Discoglossus bellied black, a species endemic to Israel today after turning off the partial drying of wetlands around Lake Hula. "Several species whose strongholds were far in the eastern Mediterranean have seen their numbers shrink considerably in the late twentieth century," said Thomas Galewska, doctor of evolutionary biology and ecology and author of study. He also mentioned the glossy ibis and the marbled teal among the victims of these large-scale drainage, often conducted at great expense to develop new agricultural or urban areas or recreational spaces for the use of mass tourism.

More than half the wetlands in the Mediterranean have been sacrificed, the study found, mainly in the eastern regions represented mainly by Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Syria Turkey and the Balkan countries. Far to the west, a real effort is observed, particularly from Spain, France and Italy, with an impact on the undeniable positive biodiversity. The inclusion of many birds on the list of species protected by the European Union, accompanied by measures to ban hunting has led to an increase of these animals in the order of 150% on average, while a decline 30 to 40% is observed elsewhere.

Thus, the Purple Gallinule, a bird with a beak and red legs edged with dark plumage, had completely disappeared over a century in Catalonia and southern France. The case is currently in the process of regaining their ancient territories.

This study, though it has many significant features and unassailable, remains incomplete due to lack of data on species other than poultry and several poorly understood areas in terms of biodiversity such as Algeria or Morocco.