29.10.2026 14:11
While footage of a citizen in Ankara Elmadağ releasing Japanese koi fish into a pond on the grounds that his aquarium had burst drew a large backlash, citizens tagging the ministry and the governorship called for a penalty to be imposed.
A citizen in the Elmadağ district of Ankara released the Japanese koi fish he was keeping into a pond within the district boundaries after the aquarium in his home burst, causing a great public reaction. While images shared on social media quickly went viral, sensitive citizens reacted strongly to the incident on the grounds that it harmed the natural ecosystem.
REACTION POURED IN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Users who watched the footage tagged the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the General Directorate of Security, and the Ankara Governor's Office, calling for legal action against the individual. Experts and citizens, noting that koi fish can turn into an invasive species in ecosystems where they do not belong and cause great harm to local fish populations and underwater life, drew attention to the fact that the situation constitutes an environmental crime.
Some of the comments made under the footage;
- "Let's give this person the necessary penalty. Let him learn that he cannot do this as he pleases again."
- "He is committing a crime. This is a crime, I hope he gets punished. These fish are listed as an invasive species."
- "Releasing a non-endemic living creature into another habitat is a major crime."