Türkiye aims to release a total of 51,000 birds into the wild this year, including 39,250 partridges and 11,750 pheasants, as part of efforts to strengthen wildlife populations, restore ecological balance and support biological control against ticks and the brown marmorated stink bug, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on Sunday.
Yumakli provided details on preparations carried out by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP), which operates under the ministry.
He noted that thousands of partridges and pheasants are bred annually at specialized production centers and released into suitable habitats across the country. According to Yumakli, DKMP has completed preparations for this year's releases, which will take place at 156 locations in 62 provinces.
The minister said the initiative aims not only to support wildlife and strengthen wild animal populations but also to contribute to biological pest control through the birds' natural feeding habits.
“Species to be released into nature will support efforts to combat ticks and the brown marmorated stink bug through biological methods,” Yumakli said.
Partridges are produced at DKMP stations in Afyonkarahisar in western Türkiye, Yozgat in central Türkiye, Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep in southern Türkiye, and Malatya in eastern Türkiye. Pheasants, meanwhile, are bred at stations in Samsun and Gümüşhane in the Black Sea region, as well as in Istanbul.
Highlighting the scale of the program, Yumakli said DKMP released 36,250 partridges and 9,000 pheasants into the wild in 2025.
“This year, we aim to release a total of 51,000 birds, including 39,250 partridges and 11,750 pheasants. Over the past 10 years, we have introduced approximately 750,000 partridges and 250,000 pheasants into nature, bringing the total number of birds released to around 1 million,” he said.
Yumakli added that field studies, habitat evaluations and technical analyses were conducted before determining release sites.
The minister emphasized that release areas are selected with great care, taking into account habitat suitability, food and water availability, shelter conditions, predator pressure, levels of human activity and monitoring results from previous years.
According to the plan, red-legged partridges will be released at 116 locations in 50 provinces, pheasants at 34 locations in 16 provinces and chukar partridges at six locations in five provinces.
Yumakli noted that partridges are treated against tick infestations before release, while pheasants will be released in Black Sea provinces to help control the spread of the brown marmorated stink bug, a pest that causes significant agricultural damage.
He also stated that all release sites will be closed to hunting for 3 years in order to protect newly established populations and improve their chances of survival.
“Our goal is to protect and develop wildlife, ensure the conscious and planned use of these areas, and pass them on to future generations through a sustainable management approach,” Yumakli said.
