Don’t bring ‘lost’ wild animal cubs to authorities if they aren’t injured: Minister

ISTANBUL

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Citizens should not bring “lost” wild animal cubs to the authorities if they are not injured, as their parents may be nearby, Forestry and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroğlu has stated.

“You should leave the area where you found a wild animal cub if it is not injured. It may be alone but its mother could be feeding somewhere nearby and it may get scared if it sees you approaching,” Eroğlu said, daily Habertürk reported on June 26.

He was speaking after a number of incidents around Turkey in which locals brought apparently lost fawns and baby gazelles to the ministry. At least 60 cubs have been brought to the authorities in recent weeks, particularly in the provinces of the Black Sea and Marmara regions.

Eroğlu said bringing cubs to officials often caused more harm than good.

“If you are absolutely sure that animal was injured or abandoned, the best thing to do would be to contact officials from the branch directorates of the Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry in all 81 provinces,“ he added.    

Eroğlu also stressed that seizing and housing wild animals is against the law of land hunting, as well as international conventions that Turkey is a party to.   

“There are fines of up to 80,000 Turkish Liras according to the species. This fine is 3,500 liras for roes, 32,000 liras for fallow deer, and 78,000 liras for Anatolian sheep,” he said.