BSPB (Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds)
DONATE TO THE BSPB TEAM *HERE*
The BSPB Team is made up of the leading members of the BSPB goose monitoring team over the last decade. They are all core staff on the current Life project for the Flyway of the Red-breasted Goose and cooperate closely on the winter monitoring and satellite tracking work. Champions of the Flyway is a great opportunity to raise wider awareness on the conservation issues and problems along the Red-breasted Goose Flyway. Climate change along with illegal killing and infrastructure development – i.e. windfarm at key sites is exert enormous pressure on this long-distant migrant that needs to cross two continents and numerous borders to complete a safe life cycle. This motivates greatly the team and we are keen to be part of this amazing international event.
Meet the Team:
Nicky Petkov
Nicky Petkov is a long-standing staff member, and volunteer for the BSPB for over 30 years. Since joining BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria in 1989 he has focused his work mostly on wetlands and waterbirds. He has served on the board of BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaira as well as Conservation Director prior to joining Wetlands International in 2007 as Critical Sites Network Officer. Currently he works as Life project manager at the BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria. He has lots of experience and interest in bird conservation and ornithological surveys in the Balkans, Central Asia and the Caucasus. He is co-ordinator of AEWA Red-breasted Goose International Working Group and the European Coordinator of IUCN Threatened Waterfowl Specialist Group. He is also a member of the Ducks and Geese Specialist Groups of IUCN.
Mihail Iliev
Mihail Iliev is a field ecologist with long term experience in many Balkan countries. He is a long-standing member and volunteer of BSPB and for the past 13 years has part of the BSPB staff personnel. He currently works as Conservation and Monitoring Officer. He is leading on the national monitoring and conservation activities on the Red-breasted Goose in Bulgaria and field activities in NE Bulgaria. He has practical experience of field surveys and monitoring beyond Bulgaria, including field experience from North Macedonia, Turkey and Kazakhstan. He has started a PhD on Red-breasted Goose migration ecology, and has been a very passionate birdwatcher since childhood.
Emil Todorov
Emil Todorov has been a member of BSPB since 1993 and is regional co-ordinator for the Danube River since 2002. He was the Winner of 2009 Whitley Fund for Nature Award for his work on the Lower Danube wetlands and birds. In 2012 he joined the Romanian Ornithological Society, where his main tasks are to coordinate the conservation projects dedicated to the conservation of the threatened Red-breasted Goose, as well as to prepare management plans for Natura 2000 sites. His hobbies are birdwatching and wildlife photography. Emil Todorov currently is the President of the BSPB Council/Board.
