Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • TÜRKİYE
  • Istanbul
  • Education
  • Investigations
  • Minorities
  • Expat Corner
  • Diaspora

Displaced by floods in Bulgaria, rodents find home in Turkey

by DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL Jan 21, 2021 - 12:48 pm GMT+3
Two coypus roam the bank of a stream in Edirne, northwestern Turkey, Jan. 21, 2021. (DHA PHOTO)
Two coypus roam the bank of a stream in Edirne, northwestern Turkey, Jan. 21, 2021. (DHA PHOTO)
by DAILY SABAH Jan 21, 2021 12:48 pm

Coypus, semiaquatic rodents bred for fur in Bulgaria, found themselves as accidental migrants to neighboring Turkey recently. Hundreds of coypus, also known as nutria, were sighted on the banks of the Tundzha (Tunca) and Maritsa (Meriç) rivers, two bodies of water traversing Turkey’s northwestern parts, Bulgaria and Greece. In Edirne, Bulgaria’s gateway to the country, coypus, displaced by last week’s floods in Bulgaria where Tundzha overflew its banks, cling to life by devouring frogs and plant roots.

The animals, resembling giant rats, are actually thousands of kilometers away from their homeland, South American countries. Male coypus weigh some 8 kilograms (17 pounds), while females can reach about 5 kilograms. In Turkish, they are called “su maymunu” (water monkey).

Osman Tireler, who brings his livestock to the pastures near Tunca, says coypus occasionally find themselves on the Turkish side. “I heard they were first sighted here 40 years ago. They live near streams (connecting to the river). Personally, I counted about 40 coypus here. They do not avoid human beings and do not harm the nature,” he told Demirören News Agency (DHA) on Thursday.

The rodents at times make their way into Turkey by escaping fur farms though en masse crossings into the country are rare.

  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    coypu nutria bulgaria turkey edirne maritsa tundzha
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (R) at a meeting with MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, in the capital Ankara, Türkiye, March 20, 2023. (AA Photo)

    Erdoğan leads in possible 2nd round of Turkish elections: Survey

    Recep-Tayyip-Erdoğan
    A Turkish flag flies next to a NATO logo at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 26, 2019. (Reuters Photo)

    Turkish Parliament set to debate Finland's NATO bid

    NATO-ACCESSION

    Türkiye reveals its 1st flying-wing unmanned fighter Anka-3

    Defense-industry

    Erdoğan slams opposition bloc for cooperating with pro-PKK HDP

    ELECTIONS
    No Image
    'Buck moon' embellishes skies worldwide
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021