Tuz Lake records highest flamingo chick count in 5 years
The flamingo population at Tuz Lake reached its highest level in five years in July, with authorities recording 12,800 new chicks following favorable rainfall across the central Anatolian basin.
Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum shared aerial footage of the breeding grounds on social media, confirming the population surge at the salt lake. “Our family is growing in Tuz Lake. We reached the highest number of chicks in the last five years in the area we took under protection, where 12,800 flamingo chicks came to life,” Kurum said.
The ministry currently maintains Tuz Lake under a Special Environmental Protection Area status, implementing comprehensive measures to safeguard threatened birds, native animals and endemic plants. Authorities previously drilled a freshwater well in the region in 2022 to supply the flamingo nursery during dry periods. Meanwhile, natural precipitation returned to optimal levels this season, rendering artificial water supplementation completely unnecessary and paving the way for a highly successful reproductive cycle.
The natural breeding and nesting period occurs between April and May, culminating in mass hatchings evaluated closely by field personnel. This season marks a positive recovery from last year, when water scarcity resulted in a lower offspring count.
