KuzeyDoğa explained

KuzeyDoğa
Predecessor:Kars-Iğdır Biodiversity Project (2003-2008)
Founder:Çağan H. Şekercioğlu
Purpose:Bird monitoring and conservation
Landscape protection
Designation of Wildlife corridors
Ecological restoration
Region:Turkey
Fields:Conservation

KuzeyDoğa (Northeastern Nature) is a Turkish conservation non-governmental organization operating primarily in the far eastern section of the country, with a focal area ranging from the shores of the Black Sea to Mount Ağrı (Ararat).

History

The organization was initially created in 2003 as the Kars-Iğdır Biodiversity Project by the biology professor Çağan H. Şekercioğlu, who subsequently founded KuzeyDoğa in January 2008.[1] [2]

Since 2006, the organization placed motion-triggered cameras to capture the wildlife in the Eastern Anatolian region (project 'Animal Corridor').[3] A bird research and education center was established in the Aras Valley at the village Yukarı Çıyrıklı (one of Turkey's two bird ringing stations that remain active yearly).[4]

Starting in 2011, KuzeyDoğa became the first organization to track wolves in Turkey. In January 2012, the Ministry of Forest and Water Management created the country's first wildlife corridor in the Northeastern Anatolia region (81 kilometer-long, 23,533 hectares) following KuzeyDoğa's 2008 proposition.[5]

In 2013, the organization started to monitor endangered Caucasian lynx in the Sarıkamış region.[6] The organization asked the Ministry of Forest and Water Management to drop the Tuzluca Dam project, which threatened the wetland harboring bird wildlife in the Aras Valley.[7] In January 2014, KuzeyDoğa reported that the wildlife at the Lake Kuyucuk was endangered due to a dramatic drop of the lake's water levels, which decreased down to 2-, bringing the birds in danger by predators. The vegetation on the lake's islet was destroyed by the local herdsmen to feed their livestock. The water levels drop was due to insufficient water inflow and excessive extraction of groundwater from local wells drilled by local villagers.[8] [9] In September 2014, an Egyptian vulture was spotted with the satellite transmitter managed by KuzeyDoğa.[10]

In May 2020, KuzeyDoğa recorded raccoon dogs for the first time in Turkey. The animals supposedly migrated from the East through Georgia. The team was alerted by the fact that raccoon dogs and other similar animals were identified as potential carriers and spreaders of the COVID-19.[11]

Activities

KuzeyDoğa is headquartered in the major regional city of Kars. It receives funding from private donations,[12] the government of Turkey, the United Nations and various international conservation groups, most notably the Whitley Fund for Nature and the Christensen Fund. The organization is primarily concerned with documenting and studying the migratory bird life in the region. KuzeyDoğa has partnerships with several Turkish and international organizations and universities.[13]

Focal endeavors:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About us. KuzeyDoğa. 2 August 2020.
  2. Web site: Sekercioglu Laboratory. Sekercioglu Laboratory. 21 September 2013. 25 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130925041526/http://bioweb.biology.utah.edu/sekercioglu/. dead.
  3. Web site: Motion-triggered cameras reveal wildlife in the eastern Anatolian region. Hurriyetdailynews.com. 19 June 2012. Serkan Ocak. 2 August 2020.
  4. News: Aras Kuş Cenneti müjdesi . . Ocak, Serkan . 28 July 2013 . Turkish . 13 July 2014 .
  5. Web site: Kuzeydoğa Derneği İle Orman Ve Su İşleri Bakanliği Türkiye'nin İlk Yaban Hayati Koridoru Ağaçlandirma Projesine İmza Atiyor - Kars. Iha.com.tr. 20 October 2012. tr. 2 August 2020.
  6. Web site: Avrasya ve Kafkas Vaşakları Yavruları İçin Doğaya Çıktı Kaynak: Avrasya ve Kafkas Vaşakları Yavruları İçin Doğaya Çıktı . Lha.com.tr. 14 May 2020. tr. 2 August 2020.
  7. News: 'Aras Kuş Cenneti korunmalı' . . 13 February 2013 . Turkish . 13 July 2014 .
  8. News: Kuyucuk Gölü tehlike altında . . 2014-01-21 . Turkish . 2014-07-07 .
  9. News: Kuyucuk Kuş Cenneti yok oluyor . Gerçek Gündem . Altınok, Bedir . 2013-12-16 . Turkish . 2014-07-07 .
  10. Web site: Recovering Turkey’s First Tracked Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus in Iraq. Osme.org. 10 September 2014. 2 August 2020.
  11. Web site: Türkiye’de ilk… Corona şüphelisi rakun köpeği için uyarı: Çok önemli ama sevindirici değil. Sozcu.com.tr. 1 May 2020. tr. 2 August 2020.
  12. Web site: KuzeyDoga Homepage. KuzeyDoga Society. 21 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130917065917/http://www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php. 17 September 2013. dead.
  13. Web site: KuzeyDoga Media Coverage. Kuzey Doga Society. 15 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20191006160220/http://www.kuzeydoga.org/. 6 October 2019. dead.
  14. Web site: National Geographic Explorer Bio. https://web.archive.org/web/20120106052725/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/cagan-sekercioglu/. dead. January 6, 2012. National Geographic. 20 September 2013.
  15. Web site: KuzeyDoga Annual Report 2010. Kuzey Doga Society. 5 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130803170111/http://www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php/en/about-us/who-are-we. 3 August 2013. dead.
  16. Web site: Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance . Ramsar Convention . 5 October 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130409081737/http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-documents-list/main/ramsar/1-31-218_4000_0__ . 9 April 2013 .
  17. Web site: Životopis: Josip Kusak. Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. 13 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131024080534/http://www.vef.unizg.hr/org/biologija/JKusak/CVJosipKusak.htm. 24 October 2013. dead.
  18. Web site: Eastern Anatolian Wetland Restoration. California State University. 5 October 2013.