Flamingos come to Salt Lake

AKSARAY

Flamingos have begun to come to Salt Lake, the largest natural breeding colony in the world for these birds.

As the weather gets warmer, tens of thousands of flamingos every year come to Salt Lake, located on important migration routes in the central Anatolian province of Aksaray. The lake offers unique feeding, incubation and nursery opportunities for flamingos.

Flamingos migrate to warmer regions after being hosted in the lake from September to October.

Flamingos that have also been affected by the pandemic throughout the world are being expected to come to Salt Lake in more numbers.

Aksaray University (ASÜ) Veterinary Faculty Dean Professor Mustafa Cemal Darılmaz told the state-run Anadolu Agency that Aksaray hosts one of the largest colonies of flamingos every year.

Stating that flamingos have six different species, Darılmaz said: “The largest and most common of these six species is known as the great flamingo. The species in our country also include these great flamingos. Its number in the world is approximately 500-600,000. Flamingos are generally seen in Turkey, North Africa, India and south of Europe. As the weather gets warmer, Salt Lake becomes a perfect home to these flamingos. They live together in colonies and do not have a single habitat.”

Throwing light on flamingo’s breeding process, Darılmaz said: “Salt Lake hosts both feeding and breeding colonies. Flamingos go to various parts of the country to feed, but they come to Salt Lake to breed. Flamingos that start to arrive in April lay eggs. These eggs hatch after about 30 days. After the baby is born, it needs parents’ care for two and a half months. After this period, it goes to warmer regions in September and October.”

Noting that due to the pandemic, the number of flamingos increased, Darılmaz said: “Studies have shown that the number of flamingos increased as a positive effect of the pandemic. This increase may create some obstacles in the short term. We hope that there will be no problem for them to find food due to low rainfall.”