2023 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

The SOS Cory's Shearwater Campaign was created within the scope of the project “Conservation of Seabird Communities in the Azores”, under the aegis of researcher Luís da Rocha Monteiro, following the example of the Canaries where an identical campaign is carried out. The Campaign has existed in the Azores for about a quarter of a century, and aims to raise awareness and motivate the population to actively intervene in the preservation of Cory's Shearwaters, a species of seabird that finds its most important nesting refuge in the Azores world level. As part of the campaign, the collection of juvenile birds that, during their first trip to the sea, fall to the ground in urban and road areas is encouraged, minimizing the number of injured and dead animals.

The Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) is the most ubiquitous seabird in the Azores and is protected by national and international laws. The Azorean breeding population represents about 75% of the world's population of the species, which makes it imperative to develop actions that promote its protection. A long-lived species, with a low annual reproductive rate, it is characterized by laying a single egg without replacement capacity in case the egg is unviable or predated. In October, juvenile Cory's Shearwaters leave their nests and throw themselves into the sea, they are dazzled by artificial lighting and end up falling, often in the middle of the road, where they end up being run over.

The Campaign takes place every year from the 1st of October to the 15th of November, and is the result of a partnership between the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies and the Environment and Climate Change Services of each island with the collaboration of the security and civil protection forces ( GNR, PSP, Associations of Firefighters) that participate in the rescue or act as a collection point for rescued birds, until they are released the following morning. Regional companies such as EDA, ANA/ Aeroportos, Portos dos Açores, Lotaçor collaborate annually in the campaign, mitigating the impacts of light pollution by reducing the outdoor lighting of their spaces during the campaign. Regional media broadcast television and radio spots. Non-governmental environmental associations, Municipalities, Firefighters, Schools, Scouts, among many others organize daily public and scientific brigades in all the islands.

Since 1995, the campaign has promoted the rescue of more than 85,000 Cory's Shearwaters, of which around 12,500 have been ringed by teams from the University of the Azores, nature watchers and volunteers. Although it is practically impossible to obtain a credible estimate of the total number of volunteers participating in the campaign, since most of the saved birds are delivered by private individuals to nature watchdogs or delivered to collection points, it is estimated that more than 100 regional entities and thousands of Azoreans participate in the campaign.

The campaign promotes environmental citizenship by promoting the exercise of good practices and individual and collective public participation in environmental issues, facilitating public participation in decision-making processes, training actions, as well as the promotion of disclosure mechanisms adjusted to different audiences.

More information: https://portal.azores.gov.pt/pt/web/drpm/sos-cagarro (External link)