Sakarya’s nature park shelters injured animals
Ducks and geese forage near a pond at Gölya Nature Park in Arifiye, Sakarya, northwestern Türkiye.
THE NATURE park in the Arifiye district of Sakarya offers a new home for injured wild animals that cannot be released back into the wild after treatment.
Gölya Nature Park, which includes ponds formed as a result of flooding along the Sakarya River, spans 400 acres and was transformed into a recreational area by Arifiye Municipality in 2022. The park, which also houses a zoo and hosts various bird species, has a center for treating injured wildlife found in nature. After receiving treatment, these animals unable to survive in the wild are provided shelter and food within the park for the rest of their lives. Among the permanent residents of the park are a golden eagle, three hawks, a pelican, storks, five owls, two monkeys, two water turtles, two flamingos, a squirrel, three parrots, a hawk and five rabbits.
The nature park, which features walking paths, picnic areas and a cafeteria, offers visitors the opportunity to see animals up close and enjoy nature.
ANIMAL-FRIENDLY HABITATS
Ahmet Safitürk, the supervisor of Gölya Nature Park, mentioned that it is Sakarya’s “first and only” zoo, housing 35 species of wild animals. They strive to rehabilitate injured animals brought to the park back to health.
Veterinarian Beril Hocaoğlu explained that there are 550 animals in the park, some of which were brought in injured by teams from the Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. Depending on the animal’s condition, their treatment process varies.
Hocaoğlu further explained: “Animals that recover within a certain period are released back into the wild. Those who cannot fully recover and survive freely in nature are rehabilitated here for life. We follow a procedure provided by the Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, determining the required space, necessary elements and restrictions for the animal’s living conditions. We construct the area accordingly, ensuring that the animals live comfortably throughout their lives.”