Rewilding Danube Delta

Rewilding the Danube Delta is part of the broader Rewilding Europe initiative, which aims to restore natural processes and wildlife populations across the continent. At the meeting point of the Danube River and the Black Sea lies Europe’s largest wetland, a 580,000-hectare wild delta. This landscape of rivers, lakes, forests, and marshes supports a rich diversity of wildlife, including pelicans, herons, storks, cormorants, and terns, as well as healthy populations of golden jackals, white-tailed eagles, and the returning beaver. 

Despite its vitality, the Danube Delta faces growing pressures from human activity and environmental degradation. Once home to sturgeon that swam the entire length of the Danube into Germany, the delta’s fish populations and wetland dynamics have been disrupted by river engineering, land reclamation, and habitat loss. Yet, the region holds potential for wetland restoration and rewilding, where former polders and lakes can be re-flooded and reconnected to restore natural water flow and biodiversity. 

The ERF grant will support Rewilding Europe in scaling up these rewilding efforts within the Danube Delta. This includes restoring natural hydrology, enhancing habitats for key species, and strengthening the ecological integrity of one of Europe’s last great wildernesses, ensuring it remains a thriving refuge for wildlife and a model for large-scale wetland restoration.