Hundreds of fruit bats took prey to the destruction at the Mavrokolymbos dam and "escaped" before drowning. This results from the Minister of Agriculture's answer to a question by MP Charalambos Theopemptou.
Mr. Theopemptou presented to the Minister Mrs. Maria Panagiotou information that a few hundred fruit bats "rousettus aegyptiacus" were hosted inside the evacuation pipeline of the Mavrokolymbos, a fact, as he says, of which the Department of the Environment was aware, since the Mavrokolymbos dam is part of the "Natura 2000"-Koili-Mavrokolymbos.
He asked to be informed "whether a Proper Environmental Impact Assessment Study had been prepared before the Water Development Department proceeded to empty the dam that led to the killing of hundreds of fruit bats".
The minister reports that the damage that occurred at the base of the evacuation tower of the Mavrokolymbos, on January 19, 2025, and which concerned an unforeseen incident, caused the uncontrolled and rapid leakage of water from the dam's reservoir through the evacuation tunnel. When the competent departments were informed about the damage and leakage of the dam, efforts were made to ascertain whether fruit bats escaped from the evacuation tunnel, but it was not possible to enter the tunnel safely, since there was a large leak and mud. Thus, with the use of special detection devices (bat detectors) it was found that no people were trapped inside the tunnel and the experts' assessment was that the animals left the tunnel before it was filled with water and mud."
It is noted, the minister adds, that in the wider area there are several ideal natural caves and pits where the animals that escaped may have found shelter, while the possibility that they have settled in existing shelters is also being considered.
It is noteworthy, continues Mrs. Panagiotou, that the species of fruit bats has shown a significant increase in its population in recent years with old colonies having been colonized, with the creation of new colonies, as well as the increase in the population in known colonies.
Regarding whether or not the EU has been informed, the Minister informs Mr. Theopemptou that: "With regard to the references to the application of Article 6, paragraph 3 of Directive 92/43/EEC, for the preparation of a Special Ecological Assessment, it is noted that the door was not opened, but the dam was emptied due to the leak and it concerned force majeure. Therefore, it did not concern a planned or deliberate action on the part of the competent authorities, which may have required an assessment or actions to reduce the impact or actions for the active removal of people of the species who were inside the tunnel. Therefore, Article 6(3) or (4) of the Directive does not apply in the present case and there is no obligation to inform the European Commission under these provisions. Finally, it is noted that with the repair of the damage and the cleaning of the tunnel, it is expected that the habitat will become suitable again for recolonization by the species and will be closely monitored by the competent departments to record its eventual return."
