Tortoises invade eastern village

TUNCELİ

The residents of the Konaklar village of the Ovacık district in the eastern province of Tunceli have new guests from the wildlife as tortoises walk all day in the village to feed themselves.

“As they could not find food in the wild, they came here. As days went by, the number of the tortoises in the village rapidly increased,” said Ekin Can Boz, a villager who is happy to live with them.

The tortoises start searching for food at sunrise and eat tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, apples and plums in the fields.

“They damage our gardens but they are a part of nature and have the right to live,” said Boz.

Some 15 families are living in the village, which is just a kilometer away from the district center, where all of them are in a race to feed the tortoises, according to the locals.

“We own them. There are water plates in front of every house you see,” added Boz.

Not only do residents love them but tortoises are also favorites of the cats of the village.

“We have seen cats playing with them.”