Mass Die-Off of Gulls at Lake Van Causes Panic Among Residents

In August, an unprecedented mass die-off of gulls was observed at Lake Van. This incident has caused panic among the local population, as residents fear it may be linked to a pandemic or pollution. This information was reported by Ermenihaber.

Turkish scientist Professor Lokman Aslan stated that while the die-off of gulls is a normal occurrence, it is abnormal that dead animals are not being collected and cleaning operations are not being carried out. This negligence fuels public panic, leading residents to associate it with pandemic situations and other causes.

There are about 223 bird species in the Lake Van area, with a total of 475 species across Turkey. This means that half of the country's bird species are found in the Lake Van region. Among these species is the Van gull, which exists solely in the Lake Van area.

Professor Lokman Aslan explained that the gull die-off could be attributed to the inaccessibility of spawning season prey for the fish they typically feed on. According to the Turkish scientist, the gulls are deprived of food, which leads to stress and results in the mass die-off of these birds.