Flora & Fauna

Turkey is a biodiversity hotspot — over 10,000 plant species (one-third endemic!), more than in all of Europe combined. Its location between three climate zones and two continents ensures incredible diversity.

• Sea Turtles: On the beaches of Dalyan, Patara, and Anamur, endangered loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) and green sea turtles nest.
• Lycian Forests: Ancient cedars, Aleppo pines, wild orchids, and the rare Liquidambar tree (sweetgum) on the southwest coast.
• Flamingos: Thousands of flamingos inhabit the salt lakes of Central Anatolia (Tuz Gölü, Burdur Gölü) — a surprising sight in the middle of the steppe.
• Brown Bears: About 5,000–7,000 brown bears still live in the Kaçkar Mountains and the northeast.
• Bird Paradise: Turkey lies on one of the most important migratory bird routes — the Bosporus is a spectacle in autumn (hundreds of thousands of birds of prey, storks, pelicans).
• Mediterranean Seals: Rare monk seals live in the caves of the Aegean and the Mediterranean — fewer than 600 specimens worldwide.