New Year's Eve fireworks and crackers kill nearly 600 bramblings near the town of Koprivshtitsa

Birds died of stress, necropsy shows

published on 1/2/25 3:03 PM

Photo: Wildlife Rescue Centre - Green Balkans

On the first day of the new year 2025, the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Centre found a total of 606 Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla), of which 591 were dead.

Information about the disaster was received at noon on 1 January, when concerned citizens reported a mass death of small songbirds near Koprivshtitsa. A team from the environmental organisation went to the scene and found hundreds of dead and injured bramblings. The necropsy of the dead birds showed that they had died of stress, with massive haemorrhages in the abdominal cavity and skull. The stress was caused by the thunderous fireworks and crackers on New Year's Eve.

The brambling is a bird species protected under the Bulgarian Biodiversity Act.

Many other birds and animals have also died in populated areas of Bulgaria as a result of the noisy celebrations. Numerous cases of frightened and lost pets were reported on social media.

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Radio Bulgaria News bramblings celebrations fireworks

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