The extreme temperatures and drought in Van lead to an increase in seagull deaths

Seagulls nesting on the islands of Adır, Akdamar, Kuzu, and Çarpanak in Lake Van began to experience food scarcity as the fish migration, which started on April 15th, ended on July 15th.

During the migration, some seagulls couldn't find food as the fish they caught in rivers during the migration returned to the lake. A portion of these seagulls died due to food scarcity, extreme temperatures, and drought.

Experts noted an increase in seagull deaths this year compared to the previous year, emphasizing that it is a natural process and there is no outbreak risk.

Prof. Dr. Lokman Aslan, Director of the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University (YYÜ) Wildlife Conservation and Rehabilitation Center, stated that the Lake Van basin is rich in wildlife. He mentioned that with the cooling of the weather, the deaths will stop.

Explaining that seagulls prefer the islands in Lake Van for breeding during spring, Aslan said, "Seagulls come to the islands during the incubation period because they are safe. The most important of these is Adır Island. Similar situations exist on other islands. Millions of seagulls breed here. In spring, when the pearl mullet migrates to the streams, it provides good feeding opportunities for seagulls.

This year, due to excessive drought, early drying of streams, and the early completion of pearl mullet migration, many young seagulls started to die due to stress and distress. We had determined that there was no epidemic disease in routine deaths that occur every year. This year, the influence of extreme heat and drought is also present. This has led to more deaths. Municipalities need to clean these areas."