14.11.2026 11:31
In the Akyazı district of Sakarya, a marten seen under a car drew attention with its distressed sounds and unusual movements. Evaluating the footage recorded by a citizen with a mobile phone camera, veterinarian Bekir Taşdemir stated that the animal may be suffering from a nervous system disorder and warned about the possibility of rabies.
In the Küçücek Neighborhood of the Akyazı district of Sakarya, a marten's behavior attracted the attention of nearby residents. The animal, which went under a parked vehicle, made distressed sounds and displayed uncontrolled movements. Those moments were captured on a resident's mobile phone camera.
THE CAUSE OF ITS MOVEMENTS COULD BE MULTIPLE DISEASES
Examining the footage, veterinarian Bekir Taşdemir stated that the marten could have coordination impairment and nervous system-related problems.
Taşdemir noted that the symptoms exhibited by the animal could stem from different causes such as distemper, poisoning, a bee sting, or rabies, and emphasized that a definitive diagnosis cannot be made based on the images alone.
Saying that a laboratory examination is required to reach a definitive conclusion, Taşdemir stated that the possibility of rabies in particular should not be ignored.
"THERE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE NO MANUAL INTERVENTION"
Taşdemir, issuing important warnings to residents encountering similar situations, said that wild animals exhibiting suspicious behavior should not be approached.
Taşdemir said, "The most important thing for us is rabies. In such cases, manual intervention should absolutely not be performed. National parks or the nearest veterinarian should be contacted. Because the risk of rabies transmission is very high, and martens are carriers in this regard. The others may not be very important, but in such cases, precautions should be taken considering that it may be rabies."
EXAMINATION IS REQUIRED FOR A DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS
While it has not yet been confirmed that the marten's behavior is caused by rabies, the expert assessment drew attention to the fact that different health problems can also lead to similar symptoms.
It was stated that residents should inform the relevant units instead of directly intervening with such animals.