The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, has initiated a project to declare the Milleyha Bird Sanctuary, located in the Samandağ district of Hatay in southern Türkiye, as a protected natural site. The move comes as part of broader efforts to preserve the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the region, which serves as a vital habitat for migratory birds and endangered sea turtles.

The decision follows the directive of Minister Kurum, who recently met with birdwatcher Emin Yoğurtcuoğlu to discuss the environmental significance of Milleyha. During the meeting, Minister Kurum emphasized the need for a long-term conservation strategy and instructed that a formal protection plan be developed for the area.

Spanning approximately 300 hectares, Milleyha Bird Sanctuary is already recognized as a “Wetland of Local Importance” by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, a designation it received on Sept. 6, 2021. However, concerns about the inadequacy of this status in preventing environmental degradation prompted the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change to take further action.

A comprehensive study is now being conducted by the Directorate General for the Protection of Natural Assets to upgrade the sanctuary’s status to a designated natural site. Once finalized, this designation will provide stricter legal protections and limit potentially harmful human activities in the area.

One of the most ecologically diverse wetlands in Türkiye, Milleyha is home to 312 bird species, many of which are globally threatened. It also provides a crucial nesting ground for green sea turtles, a species listed as endangered and shelters a wide array of other vulnerable wildlife, including 284 bird species from 62 families, 24 butterfly species, seven mammal species, 12 reptile species and three amphibian species.

In coordination with scientists and environmental experts, the ministry will prepare a full “Ecologically-Based Scientific Research Report” based on a preliminary assessment highlighting the area’s rich biodiversity and urgent need for protection.

Officials say that once Milleyha is officially designated as a natural site, all development and human activity in the area will be regulated to ensure the long-term conservation of its fragile ecosystem.