Ecologist Races to Save Vanishing Wetlands in Eastern Turkey

Eastern Turkey's wetlands, a critical global bird migration route, are rapidly disappearing due to drought and increased water extraction. Conservation ecologist Çağan Hakkı Şekercioğlu and his organization, KuzeyDoğa Derneği, are making a concerted effort to preserve these vital habitats, which are home to 68% of Turkey's bird species.

These essential wetlands face an alarming decline, with four out of five of Turkey's lakes already dried up. The region is at risk of severe drought by 2030, with 88% of the country susceptible to desertification. Şekercioğlu's work involves navigating local politics and international borders to protect these areas.

Notable efforts include advocating for road modifications to protect birds near Lake Aktaş and intervening to save Lake Kuyucuk from drying up due to illegal dams and wells. The Aras Bird Monitoring Station, established in 2006, plays a key role in gathering data on migratory birds.

Despite these conservation successes, new threats emerge. The proposed Tuzluca Storage Dam project endangers the delicate ecosystem of the Aras wetland, where the monitoring station is located. Negotiations are ongoing, but the project could inundate villages and the station itself.

Şekercioğlu emphasizes the challenge of prioritizing nature conservation over human water needs, stating, "When nature competes with people for water, nature will lose." The fate of these migratory birds hinges on the complex interplay between bureaucracy, climate change, and human infrastructure.