Animals
The Grey Wolf
“I threw myself to the wolves, only to learn of the tenderness in their howl, and the loyalty in their blood.”
Isra Al-Thibeh
Animals commonly seen in the wild
Marine fauna:
Monk seals, turtles, moon jellyfish, whales, dolphins, porpoises.
Birds:
Pheasants, grebes, shearwaters, petrels, cormorants, pelicans, storks, ospreys, eagles, falcons, owls, chaffinches.
Land mammals:
Red deer, brown bears, wild boars, lynxes, wolves, mountain goats, water buffalos, squirrels.
Snakes and insects:
Lizards, tortoises, chameleons, agamas, mosquitoes, butterflies, vipers, grass snakes, black snakes.
Common sights you will not like
In the city and on the road
Stray dogs and cats can be found in the streets. Stray dog problems are often dealt with by killing or poisoning them. Pets are sold in Turkish markets and displayed in small cages.
In theCountryside
Mules and donkeys are used by the locals to transport loads. Horse-drawn carriages are used for transportation.
General animal welfare issues
A public holiday, Kurban Bayramı, is the holiday of sacrifice. It involves slaughtering of animals (typically goats) in households.
Animals in municipal shelters are not given enough medical care and food. Hence, even if they are in shelters, they still suffer due to miserable conditions.
Hunting or poaching:
Animals commonly hunted are wild boars, bezoars, roe bucks, red stags and birds such as pheasants and partridges.
Animal fights:
Turkish animal protection law now forbids animal fights. However organized dog fights do occur away away from the public eye.
Sanctuaries to visit or volunteer:
N/A
We have not included the treatment of animals in the meat/fur/leather industries, zoos or circuses, animal testing as it unfortunately still happens in most countries.
