This project aims to create a conservation plan by preventing the death and injury cases of raptor species, occurs due to the human activity in West-Central Anatolia.
Releasing of a Long-legged buzzard after the treatment.
The raptors have the key role in the ecosystem. Unfortunately, they are also one of the main victims of the human activities. The number of injured raptor cases pass over 300 individuals per year in the Wildlife Clinic of the Ankara University Veterinary Faculty. Very diverse species like Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) and Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) that are injured mostly because of the human activities are treating in the clinic. Since 2014, number of the cases and the diversity of species increased regularly due irregular clinic records and personal observations. Furthermore, 75 percent of the injury cases caused by firearms and pesticides. Among all, less than 20 percent of the cases released to nature back after the treatment while the rest being sent to the sanctuaries or deceased.
Birdwatching with children.
Accordingly, the team aims to investigate the origins of the raptor injury cases, eliminate the lack of knowledge and propose a conservation plan in this direction. The main objectives of the project are determine and minimize the threats towards the raptors that have critical roles in the ecosystem as top predators, raising awareness in local communities including the children and young people, monitor the datas that is provided by fieldworks and clinic records to update the conservation priorities to sustain the project’s conservation goals.
The project will be applied in the western part of Central Anatolia covering Ankara, Bolu and Eskisehir provinces. The geographical borders of the region are the Ilgaz Mountains in the North, Haymana Plateau in the South, Eskisehir city center in the West and Elmadağ Mountain in the East. This geography has very important role for birds, especially for the raptor species because of its diverse geographic landforms and habitats.