HOW THE CENTRE OPERATES AND FUTURE PLANS
WITH over 22 injured birds reported during November and December’s 11-day Great Hunt alone, the rehabilitation centre has its work cut out to minimise human contact during treatment to ensure casualties can be returned successfully to the wild.
Former Kuşkor head Martin Marancos said: “We feed them through trapdoors and breed our own mice, rats, quail, small fish and meal worms in order to satisfy our guests.
“Sometimes they are too young to take advantage of our hospitality by themselves and so feeding by hand with the aid of an eyedropper or a small syringe is necessary. Clearly this takes time and a dedicated staff.”
He added that once initial examination, X-ray, medication and triage was completed, birds were housed in a small space to limit movement, but with easy access for care.
“Once their health improves, they are moved to a larger space to exercise wasted muscles and stretch their wings,” he said.
Our tour of the centre, which is not open to the general public, witnessed the arrival of a small bat which had been found in a bad way and reported to the 1190 wildlife hotline to be picked up by the team.
Rescue team member Erol Şeherlioğlu said: “I love this job. You never know what will turn up next.”
Each space is camera-monitored via a multi-channel screen viewable in the office, or via a smartphone, with temperature and humidity remotely controlled via computer according to individual species requirements.
A crane which was wing-shot by hunters nine years ago and kept in a makeshift cage at an Ozanköy vet’s stretched its wings for the first time in a new enclosure after it was handed over to the centre.
Illegal sales of wildlife have also been targeted, resulting in rehabilitation for improperly fed stolen nestlings and the first prosecutions for the culprits who face fines of double the minimum wage.
Future plans at Taşkent include a large aviary space.
A custom hunting and flying chamber is also monitored via closed circuit cameras by staff who look for abnormal behaviour and check that birds, particularly raptors, are able to hunt before their “hard” release to the area from where they were picked up. Alternatively, “soft” release via an open cage set in provides monitoring and a tapered off supply. Electronic tagging for large bi planned to gauge survival rates for th released.
The centre’s EU-standard rehabilit spaces are adapted for each visitor, o pool and tall grasses for waders. Boxe rocks provide hiding places for owls, lizards or snakes prefer rocks or logs, roosting trees or branches are set up bird species.