Gaziantep Wildlife Park’s flamingo population reaches 52

GAZİANTEP

Flamingo Island is the only place in Türkiye where flamingos have bred.

The number of flamingos at Gaziantep Wildlife Park has reached 52 after four chicks were born on Flamingo Island, which was established with 20 flamingos about 10 years ago.

Gaziantep Wildlife Park is among the world’s largest zoos in terms of area and species diversity and is the largest of its kind in Türkiye.

The park’s Flamingo Island has also drawn attention for its breeding success, with four flamingo chicks born this year.

Celal Özsöyler, head of the Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Wildlife Conservation, told state-run Anadolu Agency that the park is Türkiye’s largest, Europe’s third-largest and the world’s fourth-largest wildlife park.

“We host 8,000 animals from 380 species at our park. Flamingo Island is the only place in Türkiye where flamingos have successfully bred. We had chicks last year and this year as well. We had four chicks this year. The mothers care for the chicks, and the incubation period ranges from 27 to 30 days,” Özsöyler said.

He said the female flamingos build cone-shaped nests from special soil on the island and lay one egg in each nest.

“They lay one egg in the nests. One chick hatches from the egg, and the mother feeds her chick with food produced in her own mouth. We currently have 52 flamingos,” he said.

Özsöyler said the birds had become highly accustomed to their environment and felt as if they were in their natural habitat.

“We feed them a balanced diet. When an animal is well nourished and feels at peace here, it breeds. We are happy to be the only park in Türkiye where flamingos have successfully produced chicks,” he said.

He added that the park had not even changed the birds’ keepers in order to avoid disturbing them. Visitors are also delighted to see the flamingo chicks, he said, adding that the birds are particularly popular with children.