The nature is consisted of many little groups of organisms and protecting the nature means protecting them as well. As I have stated in my last article, Turkey has a rich biodiversity which means that we have a lot to both conserve and fight for. Despite the richness and beauty of our nature, I must confess the fact that there are many species both animal and plant which are endangered or even extinct today in Turkey. In order for everyone in this platform to be informed about these species and their abilities, I will try my best to explain.

There are nearly ten species of animals which are endangered globally and are endemic to Turkey. There are also three species of animals which are extinct. I would like to start with a species of animal that is thought to be extinct which is known as Anatolian Leopard. Before the 1950s there was two kinds of leopard in the Anatolia: Pars-Anatolian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) and Anatolian Leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana) As you can understand from their names Pars-Anatolian Leopard was a species that both lived in Anatolia and Arab peninsula. The Anatolian Leopard, one the other hand, could only be seen in Anatolia. This species was especially rare as it was the biggest known kind of Leopard that could weigh 100 kg. Unfortunately, in the late 1950s these leopard species left their habitat which is high in the mountains of Turkey and went places near the cities in search of food where they were hunted and poisoned mostly for their fur. The last Anatolia Leopard was thought to be shot by a hunter in 1974 in Ankara, Beypazarı. However, an event on November of 2013 changed people's minds. In 2013, November 3^rd a leopard was killed by a shepherd for the purpose of self-defense. When this event took place, people's first thought was that it could be an Anatolian Leopard. In spite of the fact that the DNA results proved this assumption to be wrong, this actually gave many others a light of hope which guided them into thinking that maybe just maybe one more Anatolian Leopard may still be existing. Today there are many conversation biologists that are looking for the extinct species of Anatolian Leopard. Other than that there is actually an organization called The Rewilding Foundation was established in 2009 as the Anatolian Leopard Foundation, to initially investigate the survival of the Anatolian leopard subspecies in the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey. Thus, the search is still going on for the Anatolian Leopard listed on the World Conservation Union?s ?Red List? as critically endangered.

Bald Ibis (Kelaynak in Turkish) is a species of bird which is in the Red List of Threatened Species published by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). This species is a kind of bird whose neck and head is featherless. Their natural habitat is Middle East and North Africa. There are really a little number of these worlds left in the world though not being totally extinct. It is estimated that there are 530 of these species in wild and 1500 in captivity. The General Directorate of Forestry established a special breeding station for Bald Ibis with the help of RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), where they are trying to save and populate these birds in captivity in 1972 in Şanl?urfa, Birecik where these birds lay eggs when they stop there for their immigration. These captivated birds are fed daily and taken good care.  A group of birds were set free in 2007 in the hope of promoting natural migratory behavior. Right now, there are 100 birds in this area which is a high number if considered. In other words, Turkey is trying its best to increase the number of these birds by captivating them.

Particular turtle species are also a concern of Turkey. Today, two of the seven sea turtle species in the world live in the Mediterranean: Caretta Caretta and Green Sea Turtle. To be more precise, more than half of the population of Green Sea Turtles is nesting in Turkey. There are also 20 beaches in Turkey where Caretta Caretta's lay their eggs every year. However, it is a fact that Caretta Carettas are an endangered species as it is decided by INCN. Thus, many measures have been taken in Turkey. For instance, a Specially Protected Area in Kocyegiz was declared as a tourism development project. Though the intentions were based on earning money, this project was thought to be an outstanding one by the Standing Committee of Bern Convention of the Council of Europe in 1989, and the council cited this project as an example for other countries to follow. Last but not least, all 20 beaches which Caretta Caretta's visit is being observed by the Turtle Preservation Committee non-stop.

Consequently, Turkey's actions on the matter of conserving the animals before 1970s is basically none. However, as some of the organizations start to support Turkey on the matter as well as the government begins to take this issue seriously, we are beginning to make contributions to the cause. I simply hope that our efforts on the matter will just keep increasing.

RESOURCES

http://www.anadolupanteri.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=58

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/shepherd-kills-first-anatolian-leopard-sighted-in-turkey-for-years.aspx?PageID=238&NID=57317&NewsCatID=378 

http://bigcatrescue.org/anatolian-leopards/

http://www.rewildingfoundation.org/about/

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3791

http://www.allaboutturkey.com/kelaynak.htm

http://www.goturkeytourism.com/about-turkey/bald-ibis-birds-in-turkey.html

http://www.goturkeytourism.com/about-turkey/caretta-caretta-turtles-in-turkey.html