Effectiveness of Protected Areas in Conserving Mammalian Wildlife Diversity: A Case Study from Türkiye

Medine Karatay; Servet Ulutürk

doi:10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1755427

EN TR

Effectiveness of Protected Areas in Conserving Mammalian Wildlife Diversity: A Case Study from Türkiye

Abstract

Research on the distribution and diversity of animals in protected and unprotected areas is crucial for the ongoing conservation of wildlife. In this study, conducted between 2016 and 2018 across 327 localities in Bingöl province and its rural surroundings, 18 medium- and large-sized wild mammal species were identified, including nine new records for the area. In the regions established within the study area—Yedisu, Kiğı, Yayladere, and Hacılar—the relative frequency of wild mammal species ranged from 0.3% to 32.0%, with the highest species diversity recorded in Kiğı, where 17 species were identified (H′=1.83). This was followed by Yedisu and Yayladere, each with 11 species (H′=2.19 and H′=1.86, respectively). Based on these results, the Kiğı region should be considered a priority area for conservation. At a time when concerns about the future of biodiversity are growing, studies like this that contribute to mammalian fauna will help preserve species, evolutionary potential, and ecosystem function. The data from this study will significantly support future management and conservation efforts in these key areas.

Keywords

Korunan Alanların Memeli Yaban Hayvanlarının Çeşitliliğini Korumadaki Etkinliği: Türkiye’de Korunan ve Korunmayan Alanların Karşılaştırılması

Öz

Korunan ve korunmayan alanlardaki hayvanların dağılışı ve çeşitlilikleri üzerine yapılan araştırmalar, yaban hayatının devamı ve korunması açısından oldukça önemlidir. 2016-2018 yılları arasında Bingöl ili ve kırsalında toplam 327 lokalitede yürütülen bu çalışma ile 9'u yeni kayıt olmak üzere alanda 18 orta ve büyük boy memeli yaban hayvanı tanımlanmıştır. Çalışma alanı genelinde oluşturulan Yedisu, Kiğı, Yayladere ve Hacılar bölgelerinde memeli yaban hayvanları göreceli sıklığının %0,3 ile %32,0 arasında değiştiği ve en fazla tür çeşitliliğinin 17 tür ile Kiğı’da (H′=1.83) tespit edildiği görülmektedir. Bunu 11 tür ile Yedisu ve Yayladere (H′=2.19 ve H′=1.86) bölgeleri takip etmiştir. Bu sonuçlara göre Kiğı bölgesi koruma önceliği taşıyan bir alan olarak değerlendirilmelidir. Biyolojik çeşitliliğin geleceğine ilişkin endişelerin arttığı bu günlerde, bu çalışmalar aracılığıyla memeli faunasına yapılacak katkılar yalnızca türlerin değil, aynı zamanda evrimsel potansiyelin ve ekosistem işlevinin de korunmasına yardımcı olacaktır. Bu çalışmadan elde edilen veriler, ileride özel alanların yönetilmesi ve korunması açısından büyük katkılar sağlayacaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Supporting Institution

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry-General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Thanks

This study was produced from Medine Karatay's Master's Thesis and supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry-General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, Bingöl. Authors are grateful to Erkan Davran and his colleagues for their support during the fieldwork

References

Agebo, A., & Tekalign, W. (2022). Terrestrial medium and large-sized mammalian species diversity in Michole Community Protected Forest, southern Ethiopia. BMC Zoology, 7(20),1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40850-022-00121-0
Akpınar, R., & Yürümez, G. (2025). Striped Hyena, Hyaena hyaena (Linnaeus, 1758) (Carnivora: Mammalia), Distribution, Threats and Conservation Recommendations in Batman Province. KSU Journal of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, 28(3), 855-862. https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1632858
Avcı, V., Esen, F., & Kiranşan, K. (2018). Bingöl İlinin Fiziki Coğrafya Özellikleri. Bingöl Üniversitesi Bingöl Araştırmaları Dergisi, 4(2), 9-40.
Bedson, C. P. E., Wheeler, P. M., Reid, N., Harris, W. E., Mallon, D., Caporn, S., & Preziosi, R. (2022). Highest densities of mountain hares (Lepus timidus) are associated with ecologically restored bog but not grouse moorland management. Ecology and Evolution, 12(4), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8744
Brodie, J. F., Williams, S., & Garner, B. (2021). The decline of mammal functional and evolutionary diversity worldwide. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(13), e1921849118.
Çayır, G., Savaş, V., Toker, E., Arslan, E., Korkmaz, H. Y., Başaran, S., Başaran, M. A., Kurt, E., Tatar, B., Arslan, E., Davran, E., Taş, Ş., & Gündüz, E. (2014). Bingöl Kiğı Şeytan dağları Yaban Hayatı Geliştirme Sahası Yönetim ve Gelişme Planı I. Revizyonu. T.C. Orman ve Su İşleri Bakanlığı XIII. Bölge Bingöl Şube Müdürlüğü.
Çoğal, M., & Sözen, M. (2020). Camera trapping of medium and large-sized mammals in western Black Sea deciduous forests in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 44(2), 181-188.
Cole, F. R., Reeder, D. M., & Wilson, D. E. (1994). A Synopsis of Distribution Patterns and Conservation of Mammal Species. Journal of Mammalogy, 75(2), 266–276.

Demirsoy, A. (1996). Türkiye Omurgalıları, Memeliler. Meteksan A.Ş.
Demirsoy, A. (2006). Türkiye Kemiricileri. Meteksan A.Ş.
Doughty, C. E., Roman, J., Faurby, S., Wolf, A., Haque, A., Bakker, E. S., & Svenning, J. C. (2016). Global Nutrient Transport in a World of Giants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(4), 868–873. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1502549112
Eken, G., Bozdoğan, M., İsfendiyaroğlu, S., Kılıç, D. T., & Lise, Y. (2006). Türkiye’nin Önemli Doğa Alanları Kitabı. Doğa Derneği.
Elith, J., & Leathwick, J. R. (2009). Species distribution models: ecological explanation and prediction across space and time. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 40, 677–697.
Fahrig, L. (2017). Ecological responses to habitat fragmentation, per se. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 48, 1–45.
Fitter, R. (1979). The Mammals of the Palaearctic Region: A taxonomic review, by G.B. Corbet. Oryx, 15(2), 202–202. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605300024418
Gaunle, K. (2018). How to Calculate Species Evenness. Sciencing. https://www.sciencing.com/calculate-species-evenness-2851/
IUCN. (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-2. https://www.iucnredlist.org
Jayaraj, V. K., Daud, S. H. M., Azhar, M., Sah, S. A. M., Mokhtar, S. I., & Abdullah, M. T. (2013). Diversity and Conservation Status of Mammals in Wang Kelian State Park, Perlis, Malaysia. Check List, 9(6), 1439–1448.
Jones, T., Hawes, J. E., Norton, G. W., & Hawkins, D. M. (2019). Effect of protection status on mammal richness and abundance in Afromontane forests of the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Biological Conservation, 229, 78–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.11.01
Jorgensen, S. E., Xu, F. L., &Costanza, R. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of Ecological Indicators for Assessment of Ecosystem Health. CRC Press.
Jumeau, J., Petrod, L., &Handrich, Y. (2017). A comparison of camera trap and permanent recording video camera efficiency in wildlife underpasses. Ecology and Evolution, 7(18), 7399–7407. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3149
Karataş, A., Bulut, Ş., & Akbaba, B. (2021a). Camera trap records confirm the survival of the Leopard (Panthera pardus L., 1758) in eastern Turkey (Mammalia: Felidae). Zoology in the Middle East, 67(3), 198–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2021.1924419
Karataş, A., Filiz, H., Yavuz, K., Özeren, S. C., & Tok, C. V. (2021b). The Vertebrate Biodiversity of Turkey. In M. Öztürk, V. Altay, & R. Efe (Eds.), Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainability in Asia (pp. 175-274). Springer.
Kryštufek, B., & Vohralík, V. (2001). Mammals of Turkey and Cyprus: Incectivora. AnnalesMajora.
Kryštufek, B., & Vohralík, V. (2005). Mammals of Turkey and Cyprus. Rodentia I: Sciuridae, Dipodidae, Gliridae, Arvicolinae. AnnalesMajora.
Kryštufek, B., & Vohralík, V. (2009). Mammals of Turkey and Cyprus. Rodentia II: Cricetinae, Muridae, Spalacidae, Calomyscidae, Capromyidae, Hystricidae, Castoridae. AnnalesMajora.
Lehmann, E. (1966). TaxonomicsheBemerkungenzurSaeugerausbeute der Kumerloeve'schen Orient - reisen, 1953-1965. ZoologischeBeiträge, 12, 251–317.
Mansuroğlu, S., & Dağ, V. (2016). Bingöl İlinin peyzaj potansiyelinin kırsal turizm olanakları (SWOT analizi yöntemi kullanılarak) açısından değerlendirilmesi. Mediterranean Agricultural Sciences, 29(1), 9-16.
Maxwell, S. L., Fuller, R. A., Brooks, T. M., & Watson, J. E. M. (2016). The ravages of guns, nets, and bulldozers. Nature, 536, 143–145.
Metcalfe, D. B., Asner, G. P., Martin, R. E., & Malhi, Y. (2014). Herbivory makes major contributions to ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling in tropical forests. Ecology Letters, 17(3), 324–332. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12233
Musser, G. G., & Carleton, M. D. (2005). Superfamily Muroidea. In D.E. Wilson & D.M. Reeder (Eds.), Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (pp. 2142). The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Orban, B., Mottram, P., Melville, H., Gaugris, C. A. V., Thomas, A., Drescher, K., Kabafouako, G. N., & Gaugris, J. (2023). Camera-trap inventory of wild mammals in the Hinda District, Republic of Congo. African Journal of Ecology, 61(2), 504–512. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.13116
Özkurt, Ş. Ö.,&Bulut, Ş. (2020). TürkiyeMemelileri. Panama Yayıncılık.
Peterson, A. T., Soberón, J., Pearson, R. G., Anderson, R. P., Martínezmeyer, E., & Nakamura, M. (2011). Ecological Niches and Geographic Distributions. Princeton University Press.
Schwartz, M. W. (2012). Using niche models with climate projections to inform conservation management decisions. Biological Conservation, 155, 149–156.
Selçuk, A. Y., & Kefelioğlu, H. (2020). Samsun, Amasya, Tokat ve Eskişehir İlleri Memeli Faunası ve Türlerin Koruma Statüleri. KSU Tarım ve Doğa Dergisi, 23(2), 378-386. https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.595008
Seyfi, E., Bulut, Ş., & Karataş, A. (2021). Türkiye’nin tehlike altındaki memeli türleri. Doğanın Sesi, 7, 54-72. Smith, J. A., Johnson, L. M., & Davis, R. P. (2022). Mammal diversity as a key indicator of ecosystem health in protected areas. Journal of Conservation Biology, 36(2), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcb.13092
Solow, A. R. (1993). A simple test for change in community structure. Journal of Animal Ecology, 62(1), 191-193.
Toyran, K. (2016). Predatory Mammal Species of Bitlis Province (Mammalia: Carnivora). Iğdır Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, 6(2), 27-32.
Ulutürk, S., & Coşkun, Y. (2011). A Comparative Morphological and Karyological Study on Hedgehogs, Erinaceus concolor Martin, 1838, and Hemiechinus auritus (Gmelin, 1770) (Erinaceomorpha: Mammalia) in Diyarbakır Province. KSU Journal of Natural Sciences, 14(4), 46-52.
Ulutürk, S., & Yürümez, G. (2022). The Threat Analysis and Conservation Needs of Wild Mammals Distributing Around Van Province, Eastern Anatolia of Türkiye. Commagene Journal of Biology, 6(1), 33-38. https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.1069454
Vinitpornsawan, S., & Fuller, T. K. (2023). A Camera-Trap Survey of Mammals in Thung Yai Naresuan (East) Wildlife Sanctuary in Western Thailand. Animals, 13(8), 1286. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081286
Yiğit, N., Çolak, E., Sözen, M., & Karataş, A. (2006). Rodents of Türkiye. Meteksan A.Ş.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Zoology (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Medine Karatay
0000-0003-1128-4208
Türkiye

Servet Ulutürk ^*
0000-0001-6812-7583
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

February 8, 2026

Publication Date

February 8, 2026

Submission Date

August 1, 2025

Acceptance Date

October 9, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 29 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1755427

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA77PP78ZJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Karatay, M., & Ulutürk, S. (2026). Effectiveness of Protected Areas in Conserving Mammalian Wildlife Diversity: A Case Study from Türkiye. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım Ve Doğa Dergisi, 29(3), 721-731. https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1755427