Status and Trends of Biodiversity
Overview
Turkey enjoys several distinct biogeographic regions, each with its own endemic species and natural ecosystems, which are the Caucasian Mountain forests, with the temperate deciduous forest, alpine meadows, Central and Eastern Anatolian steppe grasslands and the Mediterranean region, which includes the world’s largest remaining Cypress forests and Lebanon Cedar forests. In addition, Turkey hosts 75% of the total number of plant species found in Europe. Furthermore, Turkish wetlands are of crucial importance for many breeding species of birds, such as the Dalmatian pelican, which is a globally threatened bird. Moreover, approximately 70% of the world’s population of the White-headed duck, another globally threatened species, spends its winters in Turkish wetlands, especially at the Burdur Lake. Millions of migratory birds move between Western Eurasia and Africa each year. In the fall, flocks of storks and birds of prey can be seen from the hills of Camlica in Istanbul. Coruh Valley, located in the northeast of Turkey, reprensents another major migration route, especially for birds of prey. (NBSAP)
