Anatolian Leopard Spotted in Mediterranean and Aegean Regions: Thrilling News!
Images and photographs of the Anatolian leopard, which was thought to be extinct in Turkey since 1975, have been officially recorded by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP). The Anatolian leopard was believed to be distributed in the forests of Central Anatolia, Mediterranean, and Aegean regions until human activities caused them to decrease in numbers. However, with the help of around 400 camera traps used in the Western Mediterranean, DKMP’s project has revealed two individuals with 58 different images since 2019. It was decided to expand the research project to cover all Mediterranean and Aegean regions with the support of TÜBİTAK-ARDAB. The distribution area of the leopard was stated to start from the Amanos Mountains in Kahramanmaraş and extend to İzmir and inland to Afyonkarahisar. The three-year project aims to create habitat maps of other fauna species living in these areas. DKMP experts stated that the Anatolian leopard has no record of any damage to humans and emphasized that it is strictly prohibited to kill them. The penalty for doing so can result in a fine of 1 million TL and a prison sentence of 3 to 5 years.
