KIZILIRMAK DELTA BIRD SANCTUARY

The Kızılırmak River, which the Luvians, a pre Hittite Anatolian civilization, called Puara (great river/water) 4,000 years ago, meticulously carried materials such as clay, sand, soil, and gravel to the Black Sea during its journey towards the sea. As a result of this labor, patience, and care, it created the fertile Bafra Plain, with its lakes, reedbeds and swamps, sand dunes, and flooded forests that provide a habitat for many living creatures. In short, the Kızılırmak Delta wetland ecosystem, which enriches our lives today, is an extraordinary treasure, crafted and woven by a river over thousands of years using the materials it carried. Approximately 150 species of amphibians and reptiles are found in Turkey. About 14% of these species (9 amphibian species, 12 reptile species) are found in the Kızılırmak Delta. In the delta, reptiles are distributed in diverse areas, from the base of deciduous forests and shrublands to dry rocks, from wet ground along stream banks to meadows in steppe areas above the forest floor. Of the 9 species of amphibians found in the delta, 2 are salamanders and 7 are frogs. The main species in the area are: the striped salamander (Triturus vittatus), the rough salamander (Triturus karaelinii), the warty frog, the black toad (Bufo bufo), the green toad (Bufo viridis), the tree frog (Hyla arborea), the ground frog, the agile frog (Rana dalmatin), and the Uludağ frog (Rana macrocnemis). Of the 12 reptile species found in the Kızılırmak Delta, 2 are turtles, 5 are lizards, and 5 are snakes. These are: Globally classified as "Vulnerable," the tortoise (Testudo graeca) and the spotted slider turtle (Emys orbicularis) as "Near Threatened" are priority reptile species in the area. Reptile species found in the delta include tortoise (Testudo graeca), spotted slider turtle (Emys orbicularis), rock lizard (Lacerta saxicola), green lizard (Lacerta viridis), great green lizard (Lacerta trilienata), snake lizard (Anguis fragilis), furrowed lizard (Ophisaurus apodus), cat eyed snake (Telescopus fallax), Caspian snake (Coluber caspius), ringed snake (Natrix natrix), water snake (Natrix tessellata), and horned viper (Vipera ammodytes). It is known that there are 483 bird species in Turkey. The Kızılırmak Delta is an extremely important area in terms of bird diversity. To date, 354 bird species have been identified in the area, which corresponds to approximately 73% of Turkey's bird population. The Kızılırmak Delta holds a significant position for birds in terms of breeding, wintering, and migration.