21.07.2024 14:00
Selman Karatoprak, a 7th grade student in Bingöl, found a rhinoceros beetle that can carry hundreds of times its own weight in his village. He took a photo of the insect and reached out to Dr. Mustafa İlçin, the head of the Department of Plant Protection at Bingöl University's Faculty of Agriculture. Karatoprak released the beetle into nature. İlçin stated, "This insect has no monetary value in Turkey. It should not be hunted for the sustainability of natural life. Unauthorized collectors can be fined up to 100,000 liras by administrative units."
13-year-old Selman Karatoprak, a 7th grade student in Bingöl, took a photo of a rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis) that he found in his village, which can carry hundreds of times its own weight, and sent it to Dr. Mustafa İlçin, the Head of the Department of Plant Protection at Bingöl University Faculty of Agriculture, through his family. Speaking about the beetle released into nature later, İlçin stated that the rhinoceros beetle is considered very valuable and therefore hunted illegally, saying, "This beetle has no material value in Turkey. It should not be hunted for the preservation of the populations of these insects and the sustainability of natural life. Those who collect them without permission by administrative units are subject to fines of up to 100,000 liras. There is no agricultural damage either."
Selman Karatoprak, a 7th grade student in Bingöl, found a rhinoceros beetle in the village of Ağaçeli, which is connected to the center where he went on vacation with his family. Karatoprak tried to feed the beetle with various foods for a while. Karatoprak then took a photo of the beetle and sent it to Dr. Mustafa İlçin, the Head of the Department of Plant Protection at Bingöl University Faculty of Agriculture, through his family. Selman Karatoprak, who stated that he saw the insect for the first time, said, "After playing with my friends, I saw a different insect like this on the way back home. I started researching it on my father's phone when I got home. We learned that its name is rhinoceros beetle. This insect is a species that can carry many times its own weight. I will release the insect back into nature." The insect was then released into its natural habitat.
"HAS A STRONG STRUCTURE"
Dr. Mustafa İlçin stated that the rhinoceros beetle has a strong structure and said, "It is a species known as the rhinoceros beetle among the public and has a very specific structure. Male beetles have a horn-like structure. Females, on the other hand, have a hornless structure. They generally have lengths between 20-60 millimeters. Our rhinoceros beetle has the potential to carry a weight more than 850 times its own size. It is a very strong insect. The wing structure is elytra. It is also possible to express that insects with elytra wing structure have such a strong structure."
"CAUSES SERIOUS DAMAGE TO OUR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY"
İlçin, stating that there is a decrease in the numbers of rhinoceros beetles due to being collected excessively, thinking that they are valuable by illegal hunters, said, "We can say that there is a use of the rhinoceros beetle in different countries, especially in economic terms. However, it has no material value in Turkey. It is possible to say that this situation poses a serious danger in terms of populations, especially in terms of illegal hunters. This also causes serious damage to our nature and biological diversity. There is no agricultural damage. It is possible to come across this beetle in Bingöl and its surroundings. It is also settled in the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is an insect that we can see in many regions of our country. Unfortunately, it is also possible to express that there is a serious decrease in terms of populations. We must definitely avoid this. Due to being excessively collected by illegal hunters, thinking that they have material value, their numbers are decreasing. There is a fine of up to 100,000 liras by administrative units."