14.05.2026 11:41
Endemic peony flowers, known locally as 'bear rose,' have bloomed at altitudes of 1,000 meters and above in Kazdağı National Park. These rare flowers, which remain open for only 20 days, are protected; anyone who picks or damages them faces an administrative fine of 840,000 Turkish Lira.
Kaz Mountains, one of the world's oxygen reservoirs, hosts its rarest guests with the arrival of spring.
In the first week of May, endemic peony flowers (Paeonia mascula), which appear at high altitudes and are under protection, attract nature lovers and photography enthusiasts to the region. Peonies, growing on the steep slopes of Kaz Mountain National Park and at altitudes above one thousand meters, bloom once a year and their flowers remain vivid for only 20 days. These moments, awaited for a year by nature photographers due to the plant's rarity and brief flowering period, are captured with drones and professional cameras.
"WE TRY TO CAPTURE THEM EVERY YEAR"
Nature photographer İrfan Kolçak, who climbs the mountains to capture the impressive beauty of the peonies, explained the importance of the plant with these words:
"Today we came to shoot peonies. Their other name is bear rose. They bloom in certain areas of Kaz Mountains at a certain time and remain open for only 20 days. These are very rare plants. Every year we try to shoot them and capture them in our photo frames. So we dedicated today to peonies."
RECORD PENALTY FOR THOSE WHO HARM
Any intervention against bear roses, which are strictly protected under biodiversity conservation, is heavily penalized. In inspections conducted by the General Directorate of National Parks and relevant institutions, those who uproot, break, or damage the biological structure of this endemic plant face an environmental fine of 840 thousand TL as of 2026.
Authorities warn citizens and hiking groups visiting the region to only watch and photograph this rare species for its future, and not to touch the plants in any way.