Pelican migration disrupted in Türkiye due to feeding: Expert
TEKİRDAĞ
Pelicans are delaying their annual migration from Türkiye to Africa, an expert has warned, citing human interference as a key factor.
With the fall season starting in September, thousands of pelicans in Europe start flapping their wings to migrate to Africa.
Pelicans typically pass through Türkiye during their journey, however, some are now choosing to stay due to being fed by local fishermen, disrupting their natural migratory patterns.
“Pelicans naturally migrate to Africa for the winter, but feeding them alters this behavior, causing them to stay longer than they should,” said Deniz Şirin from the Namık Kemal University’s Biology Department.
He emphasized that feeding pelicans harms the ecological balance and can be dangerous to their health. “Wild animals should not be fed unless in extreme cases or emergencies.”
Marmaraereğlisi in the western province of Tekirdağ, a popular stop for migrating pelicans, has become a focal point for this issue.
In the past few years, two pelicans, locally known as Osman and İbo, stopped migrating after being fed and stayed in Tekirdağ.
According to Şirin, this shift could have serious consequences, especially in winter when pelicans face harsher conditions that could be fatal for the birds.
“The interruption for migration poses severe risks, particularly in colder weather,” Şirin warned.
He further noted that last year, a flock of 22 pelicans stopped migrating due to being fed by fishermen, which had a cascading effect on their behavior.
Although Osman and İbo eventually left Türkiye after some time, the disruption caused by such interactions raises concerns about the long-term impacts on pelican populations and the region’s ecological system.
Şirin urged the public to avoid feeding wildlife and to allow natural processes to occur without human interference.
He emphasized the importance of allowing living creatures to follow their instincts and that humans should not interfere with their natural life cycles.