In a historic move, Turkey reintroduces almost 4 Million animals in just one year

Turkey is writing a new chapter in environmental conservation: nearly 4 million animals were released in 2025. Since 2001, reintroductions have surpassed the 51-million mark, in tandem with the expansion of the country’s protected areas.

An unprecedented green initiative is reshaping the natural balance between Europe and Asia, placing Turkey at the forefront of environmental conservation policies. Throughout 2025, authorities in Ankara coordinated a massive restocking operation that saw the reintroduction of no fewer than 3,745,402 animals into their original habitats.

This vast ecological effort was entirely planned and implemented by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP), which operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The initiative is not limited to halting the decline of local species; it also aims to restore food chains that have been weakened by human activity.

Species released and historical results since 2001

A detailed inventory of releases carried out over the past year reveals a strategy that varies by region. Forested and mountainous areas have thus welcomed 152 wild mammals and 45,250 birds, released to bolster terrestrial populations. However, the majority of reintroductions have taken place in aquatic environments, where experts have introduced 3.7 million trout with the specific goal of stabilizing the food web in inland water bodies. This recent effort is part of a large-scale project that has been active since 2001 and, over the past twenty-four years, has resulted in the introduction of more than 51.1 million creatures into Turkey’s nature reserves, including 1.48 million birds and 2,421 mammals.

The expansion of protected areas and wildlife censuses

To ensure the survival of the released animals, the government has simultaneously secured its natural areas. By the end of 2025, Turkey had expanded its legally protected area to 3.8 million hectares, marking an increase of no less than 39,800 hectares compared to the previous year.

The network of reserves managed by the DKMP now comprises 690 conservation areas, including 50 national parks, 274 nature parks, 85 wildlife development areas, and several wetlands, including 14 Ramsar sites protected by international treaties. Scientific monitoring conducted in these oases has already identified 29,694 specimens belonging to 17 different protected species.

Noah’s Ark’s digital vault for mapping species

Scientific field monitoring is not only used for immediate protection; it also feeds into a comprehensive government IT infrastructure. With a flora comprising no fewer than 13,343 seed plants and a very high rate of endemism—including 3,301 endemic species and 391 local endemics—the country needed an advanced monitoring system.

All collected data is systematically entered into the national Noah’s Ark database (the biological Noah’s Ark). This digital platform assigns an identification code to each species, cross-referencing historical data with scientific literature to track the animals’ movements and health status over time.

Source: tarimorman.gov.tr