Istanbul’s New Problem: Increase in Wild Animal Population
A significant increase in the population of wild animal species such as snakes, mice and bats is observed in various regions of Istanbul, especially in places such as Esenyurt, Başakşehir, Arnavutköy, Avcılar and Eyüpsultan. While this situation worries citizens, experts identify the main reasons for the increase as temperature and environmental pollution.
Zafer Murat Çetintaş, Secretary General of the Istanbul Environmental Council, said, “The increasing spread of garbage that is not collected on time leads to an increase in the population of snakes and mice,” and drew attention to the importance of environmental cleanliness. Çetintaş emphasized that the vulgar lifestyle in Istanbul also contributed to this situation.
“Streams are being polluted, people throw their garbage into streams and streets. In addition, Türkiye is currently facing intense temperatures. “When temperatures and environmental pollution combine, the dangers increase,” he added. Stating that the number of snakes increased as the mouse population increased, Çetintaş said, “The biggest predator of mice is snakes; therefore, as the mouse population increases, the number of snakes naturally increases.”
The Role of Temperatures
Stating that temperatures and environmental pollution are effective in the spread of animals such as snakes, mice and bats, Çetintaş said, “We are experiencing an intense population explosion in Istanbul. Tourism and the return of Turks living abroad to Turkey creates a serious population increase. This situation leads to a rude lifestyle, especially in Istanbul. Intense temperatures greatly affect the distribution of these species. When pollution is added to the temperatures, the danger increases even more. “For this reason, municipalities need to be very careful during the summer months,” he said.
Citizens Should Be Careful
Emphasizing that the increase in these animal species is interconnected, Çetintaş said, “The biggest predator of mice is snakes, and as the mouse population increases, snakes also increase. However, we also observe an increase in many harmful species. Bats are also a “Part of this increase. Flies that form around garbage due to pollution, bats are also increasing.” “However, bats are known to be dangerous creatures for public health because they can carry rabies. All these situations are interconnected,” he said.
Stating that Istanbul should be cleaned by spraying pesticides from land and air, Çetintaş said, “Continuing pollution may cause the emergence of various diseases. Children entering dirty water and seas has recently led to an increase in children’s diseases. Therefore, citizens should not pollute “The environment and be careful.” used.
Drought Problems and Dams
As a result of the dry summer months, the occupancy rate of Istanbul’s dams decreased to 51%, becoming a serious problem. While the city’s occupancy rate dropped by 5% in just 13 days, waste came to light due to drought in the Alibey Dam. The images in which a large part of the Mağlova arch became visible were reflected in the photographs taken from the air.
As the water level decreased, waste such as tires, drums and shoes also emerged. The cracked state of the soil in the dried dam areas revealed the level the drought had reached. Experts warn that caution should be exercised in water consumption during the summer months.
