Black wolf seen for first time in Turkey

ANTALYA - Dogan News Agency

A melanistic wolf was photographed by a motion-triggered camera. DHA photo

A black, or melanistic, wolf was observed for the first time in Turkey within the scope of efforts to monitor and preserve wildlife that have been carried out by Yasin İlemin, an academic of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University since 2004.

İlemin, who mostly works on predatory species such as caracal and brown bear, photographed the melanistic wolf with a motion-triggered camera in an area close to the sea in western Anatolia.
Refraining from giving information about the region and province in order to preserve the population of the species, İlemin said: “We are concerned about ignorant hunters. Unfortunately, all species of wild animals are being hunted in many provinces in western Anatolia even though there are punishments.

Hunting especially wild animals will cause negative results for our country’s wildlife and the natural balance will be destroyed.” İlemin said that the photograph was the first record of a black wolf in Turkey.

“A few seconds after this frame, another normal wolf, probably its female partner is seen. This is a good document to perceive how dark the melanism of this wolf is. Melanism is caused by two factors in wolves; hybridization with dogs in remote history or the result of the natural combination of genes responsible from the color of the posture. We will publish a detailed article about our work in March.”