Thirty gazelles from the endangered species “Gazella gazella” were released into the wild in Silopi, Şırnak, southeastern Türkiye, during a program held at the foothills of Mount Cudi in the Bestabelek hamlet of Üçağaç village. The animals were brought from the 75th Year Gazelle Breeding Station in Şanlıurfa.
Şırnak Governor Birol Ekici attended the event, emphasizing the region’s rich habitat, which supports various wildlife, particularly in the Mount Cudi area. “We are here to release 30 gazelles at the foothills of Mount Cudi, entrusting these animals to the local people and our future generations,” said Ekici.
Hakan Mumcuoğlu, regional director of Şanlıurfa Nature Conservation and National Parks, explained that the breeding station, established with the support of the General Directorate in 2006, began with 86 gazelles at Şanlıurfa’s Kızılkuyu Production Station. “Through our efforts, we have reached 454 gazelles, and with the latest 175 births, we now have a sufficient number at the station, which has led to the need to transfer gazelles elsewhere,” he stated.
Mumcuoğlu noted that in this region, they had previously released 50 gazelles in 2020 and 40 in 2021 and that today’s event marked the release of 30 more. He shared that local residents had embraced the gazelles released in prior years, adding, “Our gazelles have adapted well to this terrain and are thriving; during our observations, we saw them moving in herds.
“With today’s release, this herd will grow even stronger. Our general directorate provides all necessary support for the care of these animals. We have fitted tracking devices on three male gazelles, which our team will monitor to collect data on their movements and range, aiding future scientific studies,” he added.
Local resident Musa Padır expressed his gratitude, noting that endangered gazelles are once again visible in the wild due to state support. “Since 2020, gazelles have been released near Üçağaç village in the foothills of Mount Cudi, and we as residents are happy. We thank everyone involved,” Padır said.
Following the speeches, the 30 gazelles were released. Attendees included Deputy Governor Talha Altuntaş, Silopi District Governor Cihat Koç, Provincial Police Chief Serdar Büyükleblebici, Assistant Regional Director of Şanlıurfa Nature Conservation and National Parks Mehmet Gürkaynak, Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Osman Geliş, Şırnak Nature Conservation and National Parks Branch Director Orhan Kalay, other officials and local residents.