Paddling: Show Consideration for Waterbirds and Wildlife

Paddling can cause significant disturbance to waterbirds and other wildlife. Although the sport is often practiced quietly and at a leisurely pace, experience shows that animals perceive the human silhouette and movements as threatening.

More and more people are taking up stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). The sport can be practiced year-round, including in shallow water zones and shoreline areas, bringing people into previously undisturbed habitats. The resulting disturbance threatens important ecosystems and breeding and resting grounds in particular.

Disturbance potential for waterbirds is underestimated

Because the sport is almost completely silent, its potential to disturb animals is often underestimated. Nevertheless, waterbirds in particular perceive the silhouette and movements of paddlers as a threat. They may take flight in response to a single paddler from as far as 1’000 m away. This can affect their survival and reproductive success. Important protected habitats such as water and migratory bird reserves, floodplains, and shallow fens should therefore be avoided.

A key requirement for low-disturbance paddling is to obtain information in advance about entry and exit points, protected areas, and the disturbance potential at the relevant body of water.

Recommendations for low-disturbance paddling

Various stakeholders from the sports and conservation communities have now worked together with the authorities to develop recommendations on how disturbances to birds and other wildlife can be reduced when stand-up paddleboarding.

The Swiss Ornithological Institute, together with the Swiss Canoe Federation, Pro Natura, the Conference of Hunting and Fisheries Administrators, and the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, has developed recommendations on how paddlers can reduce their disturbance and thereby lessen stress for animals.

The rules, the most important sources of information, and further links are listed in a fact sheet available as a flyer at SUP sales and rental stations. The fact sheet can also be obtained in digital form from the participating organisations.