15 wild animals found in Turkey

Caracal The endangered caracal is a medium-sized wild cat that can be found in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. It was recently spotted in the Anatolian province of Elazığ. Striped hyenas This near-threatened species can be found in the far eastern provinces of Turkey. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) These endangered sea turtles nest each year along Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast. Eurasian brown bear The world's one and only migratory brown bear species can be found in scarcely populated areas throughout northern and eastern Turkey. They are particularly prevalent in the eastern province of Kars, in Sarıkamış district. The bears also have a sanctuary in Uludağ National Park, where many rescued and rehabilitated brown bears live. Fifteen of Turkey's 33 national parks are home to free-roaming bears. Anatolian leopard The endangered Anatolian leopard, a leopard subspecies native to southeastern Turkey, was believed to have gone extinct until 2008, when one was sighted in the eastern province of Bitlis. Since then, several other leopards have been spotted in Turkey. Mouflon The mouflon is a species of wild sheep found in Anatolia. Breeding solely in Turkey, the sheep are called gazelles, or 'ceren,' by locals due to their large, beautiful eyes. Mediterranean monk seal This critically endangered sea creature can be found along the coasts of the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean seas. Mountain gazelle The mountain gazelle is a threatened species native to the Middle East. This species of gazelle is recognizable by its slender-built, long necks and legs. Its natural habitat is mountainous and hilly terrain with light forests, fields or desert plateaus. Chevrotain Also known as a mouse deer, the chevrotain is the smallest hoofed mammal in the world. Hunting chevrotains is illegal in Turkey. Northern bald Ibis Known as kelaynak in Turkish, this ibis is migratory and critically endangered globally. The numbers in Turkey have almost multiplied by six in the past 16 years, thanks to recent conservation efforts. Black vulture The black vulture is one of the biggest scavenger birds in Turkey. The animals can be currently found in two sanctuaries, the Soğuksu National Park in Kızılcahamam and Mount Türkmen in Eskişehir. Eurasian lynx The lynx can be found in the Kaçkar Mountains, the northeastern province of Artvin, the eastern province of Kars and the Çığlıkara Nature Reserve located in the Taurus Mountains. Fallow deer Known in Turkish as Alageyik, this deer is seeing a rebound in numbers in Turkey thanks to conservation efforts. Over the last five decades, the number of the native deer in southern Turkey's Antalya province rose from seven to about 500. Dolphins Multiple species of dolphins can be seen in the seas surrounding Turkey, and there are even opportunities to swim with them in some touristic places. Due to the pandemic, the dolphins even reconquered the waters of Turkey's most populated city, Istanbul. Gray wolf Turkey's national animal is the second-most important carnivore in the country, after the Eurasian brown bear. However, due to excessive hunting, the gray wolf's population has dwindled over the years. In the wild, the animal can live up to eight years while in captivity, they can live up to 15 years.