07.08.2026 11:22
Storks on the migration route from Europe to Africa were electrocuted when they landed on electricity poles in the Tahtakale area of Küçükçekmece Lake. Investigations in the region determined that 52 storks died and 5 storks were injured. While the injured storks were taken into treatment, nature observers warned that similar deaths could increase in the region and called for measures to be taken.
Storks on the migration route from Europe to Africa were electrocuted when they landed on electricity poles at the Tahtakale location of Küçükçekmece Lake. An investigation was conducted in the area upon the report of nature observers. It was determined that the storks, which landed on electricity poles to rest during migration, were electrocuted and died when their wings touched the power lines. 52 storks were found dead by nature observers, while 5 storks found injured were taken to the veterinary faculty for treatment.
"THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS ROUTE, WHICH WE CAN CALL THE STORKS' HELL" Nature Observer Fikret Can said, "We are at the Tahtakale location of Küçükçekmece Lake. Because this is a wetland, we can see many living bird species. We are at the beginning of the process; it's only the 6th of the month. There is another month and a half to go. This disaster will continue, and we must find a way and method to prevent it. After passing through European countries, storks come to Anatolia via the Istanbul Strait. This is the most dangerous route, which we can call the storks' hell; the mortality rate is very high, and the reason is electricity. Istanbul is a separate problem because there is no resting area for storks. There should be roofs for them to perch on, but there aren't. There should be trees, but we destroyed them. Naturally, the only place for them to roost and rest overnight is these electricity poles. When they encounter them, large flocks landing on them cause such atrocities. Today, I'm only speaking for yesterday, we have 50 dead storks and 5 injured storks here."
"THERE ARE 50 DEAD STORKS FROM THE NORTHERNMOST POINT OF KÜÇÜKÇEKMECE LAKE TO BAHÇEŞEHİR" Nature Observer Fikret Can said, "Having these is a great fortune, truly a great natural wealth. Our fortune or misfortune is that the largest population passes through us; we are at the heart of the migration route. That's why the number of deaths is high. Both power lines and electric trains pose a great risk to these animals. We expect sensitivity from the Ministry of Forestry and nature conservation authorities. We want them to listen to these children's reports. When these children report deaths or injured storks, we expect them to come and pick them up. In a narrow area from the northernmost point of Küçükçekmece Lake to Bahçeşehir, there are 52 dead storks. This is only a 3-kilometer area in this narrow zone. 52 dead storks. Because these storks had their wings open during perching, they made contact with the wires, and suddenly 50 storks died and five were also injured with broken wings. To prevent this, we need to act together with distribution companies and the Ministry of Forestry to build safe nests. For example, they also insulate power lines. Also, for instance, simple perches can be built at a height unreachable by electricity in areas where they densely roost. We believe we can prevent the loss of these animals in this way. We are talking about Istanbul; if the electricity problem on the two routes is resolved, at least fatalities in Istanbul can be prevented. If it can be prevented in the corridor in Anatolia, the loss of all storks will be prevented. The chicks of Yaren the stork, which the country has embraced, are no different from the chicks lying here. They are also chicks. That's why we consider it a moral debt to protect all chicks and storks just as we protect Yaren the stork's chicks."
"IF WE AWAIT YAREN THE STORK WITH SUCH HOPE AND ENTHUSIASM, WE MUST ALSO PROTECT ITS CHICKS" Istanbul Zaim University Academician Çiğdem Demir Çelebi said, "While our observer friends were making observations in the field, they encountered these storks completely by chance today. They called the Nature Conservation and National Parks. They tried to reach different places, but unfortunately, because the institutions that should be handling these matters couldn't act quickly enough, and perhaps because we never saw them, I had to jump in my car and transport the storks from here to the veterinary faculty. During the autumn migration over the Istanbul Strait, especially since storks return after breeding, approximately one to one and a half million storks pass through in very large numbers. These are only the number of storks. Birds of prey are not included in these. Yesterday, within a very small group, we unfortunately encountered 52 stork deaths in a single day. If larger groups pass, especially calculate the times when groups of 50-60 thousand pass. With a flock of 1.5 million, we might face the misfortune of encountering hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dead storks. Immediate measures must be taken. Especially, stork flocks using the Istanbul Strait route will also use the railway route, and consequently, this will pose a great risk during their overnight stops. We request that urgent measures be taken within the next week or 15 days to avoid these deaths. Until September 15, a flock of 1.5 million storks will pass through. Therefore, unless measures are taken, these numbers seem likely to increase. Within two weeks, at least 500,000 storks will pass through here. These are precursor groups. Small groups and small flocks have not yet merged. If we saw 52 deaths in such a group, we are likely to see thousands of deaths in groups of 500,000. Here, we especially see the dead chicks of storks. Each of them is a chick of Yaren the stork; each one is Yaren the stork. Therefore, just as we await Yaren the stork with such hope and enthusiasm, we must also protect these chicks and these storks."