Following the removal of sharp-pointed reeds across a 17-hectare area within the scope of the “Wet Meadow Restoration Project” conducted in the Kızılırmak Delta Bird Paradise, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, the area has begun to be monitored using camera traps to observe migratory birds and wildlife activity.

Within the framework of the “Mediterranean Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Project,” supported by the French Development Agency and implemented in multiple countries, the “Kızılırmak Delta Wet Meadow Restoration Project” carried out by the Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Ornithology Research Center cleared a 17-hectare area of sharp-pointed reeds in the approximately 56,000-hectare Kızılırmak Delta.

After clearing the reeds to create suitable breeding grounds for waterbirds, particularly lapwings, camera traps were installed in the area to monitor the activity of migratory birds and wildlife.

Project to continue for two years

Biodiversity expert Nizamettin Yavuz stated that observation activities began after clearing the 17-hectare area of sharp-pointed reeds in the Kızılırmak Delta Bird Paradise.

Noting that they aim to document the conditions before and after restoration using camera traps, Yavuz said:

“We installed camera traps to determine the number of wild animals such as hares, wild boars, and foxes in the area and to assess how frequently they use the habitat. There are four camera traps in the area, recording footage 24 hours a day. Based on these recordings, we will evaluate the level of activity in the area.”

Emphasizing that wildlife activity has already increased following the clearing of the 17-hectare area, Yavuz added:

“Camera traps have captured images of kestrels, crows, carrion crows, hoopoes, herons, cranes, and various duck species. In addition, several mammal species have been recorded, including jackals, wild boars, hares, hedgehogs, and badgers. Our project will continue for approximately two years, and monitoring will be ongoing throughout this period. It would not be accurate to generalize for the entire Kızılırmak Delta, but we will be able to present definitive results for this restoration area.”