Exhausted swans monitored by conservation teams

DÜZCE

Three swans that became exhausted during migration are being remotely monitored, fed and tracked by camera traps by teams from the Düzce Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks.

The two adult swans and one juvenile stopped about a month ago at the Efteni Lake Wildlife Development Area, where they have been kept under observation without disturbing their natural habitat.

Teams are protecting the animals from a distance and carefully feeding the “guests” along the shores while monitoring them with camera traps.

“We expect citizens to protect such birds when they see them,” said Düzce Nature Conservation and National Parks Branch Director Mevlüt Şanlı Şimşek.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Şimşek said the lake has been visited this year by a family of three swans — mother, father and offspring.

Noting that the region is not located on a main migration route and that the species is therefore rarely seen in the area, Şimşek said swans prefer mild climates.

“These delicate species usually stay in reed beds, ponds and canals. They migrate from cold climates to warmer ones. When winters are particularly harsh in northern countries, they visit our country. The species exists in the literature of our Efteni Lake, but visits are very rare,” he said.

Şimşek stated that the swans have been hosted around Efteni Lake and its surroundings for about a month.

“We will continue to monitor these beautiful animals as long as they remain in the area. When the weather warms up, our birds will return to the region they came from. We plan to accompany our birds until they migrate,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of swans for wetlands, Şimşek said they help spread aquatic plants by creating movement in the water and contribute to the continuity and sustainability of wetland ecosystems.