Be it turtles hatching undisturbed on people-free beaches or whales singing without being interrupted by shipping vessels, decreased human activity has largely benefited wildlife during the coronavirus lockdown. Albania’s gracious flamingos are no exception.

With tourists home, boats docked and factories silenced under a coronavirus lockdown, Albania’s pink flamingos and curly pelicans are flourishing in the newfound tranquility of lagoons dotting the country’s western coastline. Beating their pink and black-lined wings, a growing flock of thousands of flamingos have recently been soaring over and splashing in the glistening waters of Narta Lagoon, an important site for migratory birds on the Adriatic coast. Since January, their numbers have increased by nearly a third up to some 3,000, according to park authorities.

Since the country’s lockdown on March 9th, the churning engines of fishing boats have gone silent as well as the dozens of ferries and other vessels that normally depart daily for the nearby port of Vlora. Car traffic on a busy road only 500 meters away has also been reduced, which is subsequently dropping noise levels. On top of that, factories that have come under scrutiny for contaminating waters in the vicinity are now dormant.

Conservationists hope that the current situation will serve as an opportunity to rebalance human activity in these areas with the protection of Albania’s biodiversity.