Sinan Yıldırım, a farmer from Muş, Türkiye has not cultivated his field for almost a decade in order to protect the Muş tulip, an endemic species that grows naturally in the region. “We haven’t been plowing our fields for years so that these natural tulips will emerge. People come here to take pictures and have fun. I do not plow my field so that people will not be deprived of this beauty. Because tulips grow in our field, we protect these tulips. Let no one harm these beauties,” Yıldırım said.
Anyone caught destroying, plucking, or trading the Muş tulip faces serious consequences, including an administrative fine of 244,315 Turkish Lira ($12,500). Despite the threat, Yıldırım’s efforts are making a positive impact on the environment and the preservation of this important species.
İshak Güngör