Over 700 flamingos swarmed Hersek Lagoon in Turkey, leaving beautiful scenes of nature. The species visited the lagoon which was designated as “Accessible Protected Area” earlier than the previous years. The number of the flamingos, which is precisely 720, is a high record for the lagoon.
“This is an unprecedented figure. We can say that the reason of them staying here during the summer months is that the lakes in central regions dry out due to drought. It is also a very productive area. They stayed in the area during the summer as there are feeding areas available. We actually did not expect that many numbers. It starts with 200-300 every year. Over 700 this year. This is pleasing. They are hungry and they have been walking around the area for 2-3 days and continue to feed,” says Fatih Bülbül, bird watcher of the municipality.
“If you protect wetlands and take care of them, all habitats, whether birds, fish, plants, give you a return as a result… We couldn’t see 50-100 flamingos here years ago, now we look at 500, 1000 and even up to 1,500 flamingos.” added Fatih Bülbül.
Erhan Erdoğan – Mehmet Mercan