Flora & Fauna

The whole peninsula has spectacular topography, with mountains as high as 1,400 metres. Pine and eucalyptus forests are made up of literally millions of trees, and of course there are also many tens of thousands of olive, fig, orange and lemon trees, together with vineyards and many fruit and vegetable farms.

Bougainvillaea, oleander, mimosa, melissa, jasmine and roses are just some of the colourful flowers of this region. Wild thyme, rosemary, and many more herbs grow wild (and they smell delicious in the warm air).

In March, almond trees are the first to bloom and April is nicknamed çagla (meaning ‘baby almond’ time). These are carefully collected by hand to thin the over-full branches. The baby almonds should be eaten fresh, and are best direct from the tree. They’re usually eaten with a bit of salt, and they also taste great with tequila. The figs ripen in August, grenade apples in September, oranges and citrus fruits most of the year, and watermelons and cantaloupes all summer.

The Datça area is famous for the three ‘B’s: bal (honey); badem (almonds); and balik (fish). However the area is also famed for something you cannot buy in the market – the air! In ancient times it was known as ‘magic air’ due to the North wind that blows in the summer; there’s very little humidity and this is considered to be of great benefit for some medical complaints.

Datça has its very own olive farm and processing factory. Here, you can take a look at how quality olive oil is produced in the workshop and you can also see the craftsmen make an array of objects from olive wood. Most of the oil that is produced here is of such high quality that it’s destined for the north American market – however there’s also an opportunity to buy some for yourself.

The Lycian Coast

The Lycian Coast is rich in flora and fauna. The wildflowers are stunning, especially in late winter and spring, with cyclamen, grape hyacinth, orchids and anemones in abundance. The Greek strawberry tree, ordinary strawberry carob, holly oak, and junipers all occur on the dry hillsides. At lower elevations, almond, cherry and pear trees flower in late spring. At sea level, extensive orange groves stretch beside the main highway. The coastal strip is immensely fertile, with villagers cultivating every kind of crop imaginable – from oranges and olives to aubergines and artichokes. The Mediterranean in the spring is home to many broadleaf evergreen shrubs and trees as well as a series of pines. Red pine and black pine trees are the most typical pine trees of this region.

Turkey has almost as many species of wildflowers as the rest of Europe combined; of over 9,000 species so far identified more than 3,000 are endemic. Sandalwood, myrtle, holly oak, rockrose, heather and bay are the most com- mon species in this region. Different herbs, such as thyme, oregano and sage, grow under these trees, and of the large number of ornamental flowers cultivated from Turkish wild forms, we can cite the tulip crocus, snowdrop, lily and fritillery.

Citrus fruits are the primary fruit crops grown in the region. More than four-fifths of the production of citrus fruits in Turkey is created in the Mediterranean region. Bananas are grown in this region of Turkey only. Here, they preserve their taste, fragrance, colour, hardness and other original characteristics which tend to get lost in the course of mass cultivation. Turkey is also the home to many other cultivated plants, such as chickpeas, lentils, apricots, almonds, figs, hazelnuts, cherries and sour cherries.

Turkey is situated at the crossroads of three continents and forms a bridge between the repro- ductive areas of birds in the north and their winter nests in the south. This, combined with the variety of terrain, mountains, forests, rivers, reed beds and marshlands enables keen birdwatchers to observe nearly 300 different species of birds. Amongst these are bee-eaters, buzzards, golden orioles, yellow-headed butings, rollers and even the lesser-spotted eagle and the rare Smyrna kingfisher.

Springtime is always awaited with much enthusiasm by the locals as this is the time when the white stork returns from wintering in southern Africa and traditionally the presence of an occupied nest is regarded as a sign of good fortune. Storks are known as ‘pilgrim birds’ in Turkey and are regarded as guests. Unlike other birds they build their nests on village houses, mosques and telegraph poles. Preferred breeding grounds are in low wetlands and close to rivers and seas where it’s easy to find food in the form of frogs, earthworms, and beetles, as well as lizards, mice and snakes.

The storks which come to Turkey spend their winters in East and South Africa and arrive in Turkey from around March. The clattering of their beaks is a familiar sound during the spring months. Storks mate for life and the breeding pair often return to the same nest year after year to raise new chicks. First, the male arrives to repair the nest after the inevitable wind and rain damage. He is then joined by the female days later. The hatch- lings can usually be seen popping their heads up from around the middle of May, and by the mid- dle of June they start practising flight from pillar to post. By the end of June, the entire family has departed until next spring. The number of couples breeding in Turkey annually amounts to between 15,000–35,000.

Insect and butterfly lovers will be impressed by the beautifully coloured damselflies, dragonflies, butterflies and moths.

Hunting has reduced wildlife, but boars are numerous in forested areas, and tortoises, terrapins and lizards are ubiquitous. Invariably any drive will come to a halt to allow a tortoise to cross the road. Turkey has a great variety of wild animals, with over 114 species of mammals including fallow deer, roe deer, bald ibis, wild sheep (mouflon), squirrels, badgers, hares, martens and porcupines.

Indigenous species include the Van cat, originating around the Van Lake in East Turkey. These cats, now more domesticated, used to live on the mountains during the summer months and move into the houses for the winter. Van cats are white with one blue eye and another green or yellow. Van cats are good hunters and love to play with water. They are extremely friendly and intelligent.

The Kangal dog, renowned for its shepherding capabilities and loyalty, is a pure-breed mountain dog, again mainly found in the East. Many Kangal dogs’ ears are removed to make them less vulnerable to being caught by the ears should they come into battle with a wolf.

The most important and influential endangered species includes turtles (Caretta Caretta), which lay their eggs in the long sandy beaches of the Mediterranean. Two species breed in Turkey, where efforts to protect them have been extremely successful. A tourism development project at Köycegiz was scrapped to preserve the breeding grounds of the Caretta Caretta, and the lake and marshes of Köycegiz has been de- clared a Specially Protected Area. These measures were received with a standing ovation by the Standing Committee of Bern Convention of the Council of Europe in 1989, and cited as an example for other countries to follow.

Studies of the turtles along all Turkey’s shores have been launched, and seventeen sand beaches of foremost importance as breeding grounds for turtles are kept under constant observation by the Turtle Preservation Committee. Other areas of the coast are also being protected and studies of their habitats undertaken.

Environmental preservation and conservation is in its infancy in Turkey, but many individuals (and, increasingly, the government) are aware of the incredible natural as- sets which Turkey possesses, and of the urgency of protecting them. International conventions have been signed and many projects are under way to protect threatened species and habitats.