The return of Pakistan’s ungulates
Unfortunately Pakistan has lost most of its ungulate population in recent times, but a new project aims to reverse this in the near future.
Reintroduction
A windy road to reintroduce goitered gazelles to the steppes of Vashlovani
Vashlovani Protected Areas, which are often referred to as the Georgian Savannah, is the only region in Georgia which was once inhabited by the goitered gazelle. However, due to the unsustainable level of hunting and poaching since the 1930s, the range and numbers of this medium-sized grazer declined rapidly, and in the 1960s, the species was declared extinct in the country.
Nowadays, Vashlovani hosts over 200 goitered gazelles thanks to trans-border cooperation and several rounds of trial and error, which shows the fragile process of species reintroduction.
We had the chance to meet some of the key players who contributed to what eventually became a conservation success, while also being able to observe these and other majestic animals with our own eyes.
The unknown future of the northern bald ibis
When we went to Birecik on the shores of the Euphrates in South-East Turkey, we were excited to see a special bird, the northern bald ibis. When we left, our thoughts and emotions were in a turmoil over the fate of the birds we saw.
The return of the mountain gazelle in Turkey
Until 2008, the mountain gazelle was considered extinct in Turkey. In the fourteen years since then, the population has grown to 1500 individuals thanks to Yaşar Ergün and Hatay Tabiatı Koruma Derneği.