Saratov Update: Re-route around the fires

Posted on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

GBG Director David Waters is in Russia to bring back to the UK a group of young Great Bustards for release onto Salisbury Plain. His trip has been impacted by a severe heatwave (temperatures have reached 42C/108F), sickness and huge forest and peat fires burning out of control in western and central Russia (according to a report in the Wall Street Journal in total, 520 fires are blazing across Russia, consuming a total area of 1.15 million acres, up from 1.05 million acres the previous day).


Everything is coming together paperwork wise. The fires have compelled us to take a different route to Moscow. Instead of heading straight there via Penza we will go slightly west via Tambov and try to avoid the fires. The heat remains a concern as it is, as predicted 42 degrees here. However, the journey will be made at night so the problem is lessened as much as possible.

We have spoken to the airport and hope arrangements are in place to get the birds in a shaded spot as soon as we arrive.

Charlie Moores

Posted by Charlie Moores

Charlie is the Great Bustard news & Otis (the official Great Bustard magazine) editor, as well as being an authority on birds worldwide & writing for several online blogs.

Comments are closed.