A retired plumber in Tokat’s Zile district in northern Türkiye has formed an unusual bond with local wildlife, feeding foxes by hand at his vineyard home.
Aşur Koçak, who retired from Zile Municipality in 2006, noticed foxes appearing around his Fırtman-area vineyard some months ago. He began leaving food for them, and over time, their numbers grew.
The first fox to approach him, which he named “Merdo” for its bravery, now comes close enough to be fed directly from his hands.
“I visit the vineyard every day since I retired,” Koçak told Anadolu Agency (AA). “Recently, foxes started coming. We love them, and they don’t leave us. When the ecological balance is disrupted, these animals naturally go hungry. Otherwise, wild animals wouldn’t come here easily. Merdo started coming closer about six months ago, and now it comes to our table. We feed them meat, bones, and bread every day.”
Koçak said the foxes have grown accustomed to him and now come with other foxes. “They don’t run from me anymore. We love them very much. They are part of nature, living beings, and we need to take care of them,” he said.
The retired man noted that the presence of foxes has affected his ability to raise chickens, but he considers the well-being of the wild animals more important. “I’ve received both positive and negative reactions. Some from nearby villages complained that the foxes take their chickens. But they will have to accept it, because these animals are hungry,” Koçak said.
