Today is World Wildlife Day, and Turkey is very rich in wildlife, with a total of 1468 species of chordates (including mammals, birds, fish and reptiles). This article will take you through 23 interesting Turkish wildlife.
Anatolian leopard (endangered)
Panthera pardus tulliana
The Anatolian leopard, also known as the Persian leopard or the Caucasian leopard, is a subspecies of leopard native to Turkey, Iran, the Caucasus, Afghanistan, and the surrounding areas of Turkmenistan. This cat preys on a large number of medium and large mammals, including the Turkish rock antelope.
Threatened by depletion of prey, human disturbance and poaching, the Anatolian leopard has been recognized as endangered since 2016. There are currently fewer than 1,000 mature Anatolian leopards in the wild.
Anatolian rock antelope
Rupicapra Rupicapra asiatica
The rock antelope, also known as the alpine rock antelope, is a species of mountain antelope native to the European mountains and is found in the mountains of distant northeastern Turkey and the Caucasus.
The local subpopulation of rock antelope in Turkey is known as the Anatolian rock antelope or Turkish rock antelope. They inhabit rocky terrain and rugged mountainous areas of Turkey. These areas are usually above 3600 meters above sea level.
Caucasian lynx
Lynx lynx dinniki
The Caucasian lynx, also known as the Eastern lynx, is a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx found in the European regions of the Caucasus, Iran, Turkey, and Russia. It is listed as a protected population in Iran, but its global numbers and trends are unknown.
Hiding in the high mountains of Turkey, this cat is easily frightened and difficult to spot. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to accurately assess the number of this species and learn more about it.
Richter dolphins
Grampus griseus
Richter dolphins are found along the coastlines of all continents except the southern half of the Atlantic. Due to improper fishing, they often get entangled in fishing nets and suffer a lot. But since the rise of dolphin-friendly fishing methods, the Richter dolphin population has rebounded.
Richter dolphins have teeth, but they don't use them to feed, just use them as weapons to display during mating conflicts.
Egyptian fruit bats
Rousettus aegyptiacus
The Egyptian fruit bat, also known as the Egyptian rose bat, is a giant bat native to Africa, the Mediterranean basin, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East. They are found in Turkey's southernmost region near the Mediterranean coastline.
These bats are highly gregarious, living in large groups of thousands of individuals. As the name suggests, it is a fruit-eating animal that adjusts its eating habits according to seasonal changes, so it is considered a pest by many farmers.
White-headed hardtail duck (endangered)
Oxyura leucocephala
The white-headed hardtail duck is a small duck native to North Africa, West and Central Asia, and Spain. It is already critically endangered due to environmental pollution and habitat loss. Turkey is one of their last strongholds and is more numerous.
The ducks are migratory and fly to warm countries like Turkey in winter. It can dive and swim underwater. Although they mainly feed on plants, they are actually omnivores.
Desert monitor lizard
Varanus griseus
The desert monitor lizard is a species of monitor lizard native to North Africa, Central and South Asia. It is a carnivore that feeds on a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates.
Due to very specific survival needs, this reptile does not survive for long in captivity. Among them was a specially cared for desert monitor lizard that lived for more than 17 years.
Javelin sand python
Eryx jaculus
The javelin sand python is a snake found in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus. The snake was recently rediscovered in Romania and Italy, where it had disappeared for 80 years.
The Javelin Sand Python's interaction with humans dates back to ancient Greek times, when warriors would use these snakes as projectiles to create chaos and panic on enemy fronts.
Bearded vulture (near threatened)
Gypaetus barbatus
The bearded vulture is one of the most unique and interesting vultures and animals in the world, throwing its prey from high altitudes and breaking it, then eating almost exclusively bones and marrow.
Due to habitat loss, trophy hunting, and poisoning, the vulture population is declining globally and has been considered endangered since 2014.
Brown fishing owl
Ketupa zeylonensis
The brown fishing owl is a species of owl native to Turkey and is also found as far away as Southeast Asia. It inhabits vast (about 7,000 km) and dense woodland. As the name suggests, it feeds mainly on fish, grabbing food as it glides on the water.
The subpopulation of brown fishing owls found in Turkey is slightly larger and slightly whiter than other subgroups. It breeds annually near the Omapakina Dam.
Turkish hamster
Mesocricetus brandti
The Turkish hamster, also known as the Azerbaijani hamster, is a type of hamster native to Turkey, Armenia, and neighboring countries. Although still used for laboratory trials, it is rarely kept in captivity, and its numbers are declining worldwide.
This rodent has a lifespan of about 2 years and is accustomed to solitary and nocturnal activities. Its cheek pouch allows it to carry a lot of food at once.
Indian crowned porcupine
Hystrix indica
The Indian crowned porcupine is a rodent of the Eastern Hemisphere native to the Middle East and Western Asia. It inhabits Turkey's grasslands, forests, temperate shrublands, gardens, and plantations, and its food species range from fruits, grains, and roots to small vertebrates, insects, and more.
The Indian crowned porcupine is known for chewing bones, which makes its spines harder, and the thorns are its main defense mechanism.
Prairie Eagle (endangered)
Aquila nipalensis
The steppe eagle is a large bird of prey native to much of Asia and Africa. It is a migratory bird that winters in much of sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent, stopping in Turkey on its migration.
This eagle is bulky and robust, with dark brown plumage. The prairie eagle has many unique characteristics – it is an animal that specializes in preying on ground squirrels and is the only eagle that nests mainly on the ground.
European jackal
Canis aureus moreoticus
The European jackal is a subspecies of the golden jackal. It is found in Anatolia, southeastern Europe and the Caucasus, with wild populations ranging from 70,000 to 110,000 individuals. In Turkey, the European jackal is famous for eating endangered turtle eggs.
Although the number of such jackals is increasing globally, especially in Europe, in Turkey its number may be declining. The European jackal is widely distributed due to the decline of its main competitor, the gray wolf.
Green sea turtle (endangered)
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtles, also known as Pacific green sea turtles, green turtles or black sea turtles, are one of the sea turtles in Turkey that is seriously threatened by European jackals. Not only that, but it is also affected by human activities such as pollution, fishing accidents, and hunting for decorative purposes.
Green sea turtles are essential to ecosystems: they feed on seagrass and only trim the top of it, promoting healthy growth of seagrass beds.
Juven Varrates River soft-shell turtle (endangered)
Rafetus euphraticus
The Euphrates softshell turtle, also known as the Mesopotamian softshell turtle, is a softshell turtle native to Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and much of the Euphrates basin in Iran. The construction of dams has led to habitat alteration and loss, which, combined with hunting and pollution, has led to the Euphrates softshell turtle now listed as endangered.
As the name suggests, this turtle has a smooth and tough shell. It feeds on fish and carcasses, but also on birds, plants and insects.
European chameleon
Panthera pardus tulliana
The European chameleon, also known as the Mediterranean chameleon, is a chameleon native to the Mediterranean basin, so it can be found along the southern coastline of Turkey. It is the only chameleon that naturally inhabits Europe.
This reptile is an insectivore known for its rapidly elongated, long, sticky tongue to catch insects. Although considered a non-threatened species, it is equally affected by habitat loss, agricultural intensification, road deaths and wildfires.
Northern vulture ibis (endangered)
Geronticus eremita
The northern bald ibis, also known as the hermit ibis, is a species of ibis native to the Middle East, southern and central Europe, and northern Africa. After disappearing from most of its active areas, the northern bald ibis can now be found almost exclusively in Morocco.
Thanks to conservation programs, since 2018, the northern bald ibis has had a semi-wild community of almost 250 individuals in Turkey.
Striped hyena (near threatened)
Hyaena
The striped hyena is a hyena native to the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and northern and eastern Africa. In contrast to its famous relative, the spotted hyena (known for its laughter), the number of striped hyenas is declining, with less than 10,000 mature striped hyenas in the wild.
This hyena is primarily a scavenger, but it also attacks prey (and sometimes humans).
brown bear
Ursus arctos
Brown bears are Turkey's largest land carnivore and the second largest carnivore in the world after polar bears.
The brown bear is a large bear found in much of Eurasia. Although their range has shrunk in recent years, there are still more than 110,000 brown bears in the world, and they can be found almost anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.
Caucasian badger
Meles canescens
The Caucasian badger, also known as the Southwest Asian badger, is a species of ferret native to some islands in the Mediterranean, as well as the Middle East and Western Asia. It is smaller, more widely distributed and better known than the European badger and can be found in the mountains of Turkey.
This badger is further divided into 4 subspecies, namely the Fergana badger, the Rhode badger, the Cretan badger and the Transcaucasian badger.
Moflon sheep (near threatened)
Ovis gmelini
The Moflen sheep are a wild sheep native to the Caspian Sea region, eastern Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Iran. It is likely to be the ancestor of all modern domestic sheep.
This mammal has dark brown or red fur. There is a strict hierarchy of domination among male Moflon sheep, and they fight each other for the right to speak.
Mountain gazelle (endangered)
Gazelle Gazelle
Turkey's arid steppe is an ideal habitat for a variety of gazelles, including mountain gazelles. Also known as the Palestinian mountain gazelle, it is an endangered mammal that is widely but unevenly distributed.
Both male and female mountain gazelles have horns, which is very rare in mammals. The Hatay Mountain gazelle is a subspecies of it in Turkey, living mainly in Syria and the northern border of Turkey's Hatay province.