Karatay Zoo Becomes the Nest for Injured Birds

The disabled predatory birds that have lost their ability to survive in the wild are being hosted at the rehabilitation center of Karatay Zoo.

In the center where they are brought injured or sick, predatory birds undergo treatments. Those that cannot be released back into the wild due to various reasons continue their lives in suitable habitats.

The center cares for 25 falcons, 27 eagles, 2 small vultures, and 1 black vulture. They are fed three meals a day, and various treatments, as well as bandaging, are meticulously carried out in a clinical setting by veterinarians.

Veterinary Health Technician Ismail Ağaç stated, "Our rehabilitation center has been in operation since 2002. We treat an average of 650 to 750 animals annually. Over the 21-year period, we have rehabilitated 14,800 animals. With our current operating room, we can perform all our surgeries here. We can conduct wing amputations and limb loss surgeries for injured predatory birds such as falcons, eagles, and hawks. For the rehabilitated birds, we have very large cages, appropriately arranged to mimic their natural environments, where they can sustain their lives. We feed the birds with meat and offal in the morning, noon, and evening. We provide daily treatments for the injured ones and take care of those in need of special attention."

Drawing attention to an increase in the number of injured animals during the summer months, Ağaç noted that the reason behind this is gunshot injuries caused by irresponsible hunting practices.