Osprey (U06) "Cousteau"

-URDAIBAI RESERVE- Cousteau, the Basque-Scottish osprey that left Urdaibai at the beginning of September, continues in its wintering zone of southern Senegal.

In August, one of the ospreys was marked with a satellite transmitter, the monitoring of this beautiful bird is being carried out from the Urdaibai Bird Center.

Few weeks ago it moved about 30 km to the southwest, so it currently frequents the northern bank of the Casamance River, a few kilometers from Ziguinchor, the region's capital. It is a flood zone largely occupied by mangrove swamps and rice fields. The fishing is abundant in that area. Cousteau shares habitat and fishes with the large population of storks that nest in the city of Ziguinchor.

This area is about 60 km from the border with Gambia, a country that is suffering  a serious political crisis. The president-elect swore yesterday at his country's embassy in Dakar (Senegal) where he is in exile since the outgoing president refuses to leave his post. A few hours ago ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) troops have entered in the country to restore constitutional order. The BBC reports that more than 25,000 Gambians have crossed the border in the direction of Senegal trying to avoid the armed confrontation.