Oral Presentation- Symposium 12th International Mammalogical Congress

On the status and distribution of Gazella gazella (Artiodactyla: Mammalia) in Turkey along with some medium and large mammal records from Hatay Province (#330)

Mustafa Soezen 1 , Muhsin Cogal 1
  1. Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey

Gazella gazella was discovered recently in a restricted area in Hatay. To date, no study of the distribution area of Mountain Gazelle has been carried out. To determine the current distribution area of Mountain Gazelle in Hatay region, 17 camera traps were set along 45 km on a line from south toward north in Hatay Province along the border with Syria. Traps stayed in the field about five months from late May to mid-October in 2016. Additionally, field observations and conversations with local people, wild life officers and researchers were performed. According to data obtained, Gazella gazella distributes as two isolated colonies in Kırıkhan and Reyhanlı regions of Hatay Province, along about 50 km of borderline, and the area constitutes the northernmost point of the distribution of the species in the world. The Reyhanlı population of Gazella gazella was first discovered by the study. The total area of both populations is about 125 km2 and population size is estimated about 600. On the other hand, a total of fourteen species of mammals including Vulpes vulpes, Gazella gazella, Hystrix indica, Canis aureus, Canis lupus, Hyaena hyaena, Meles meles, Martes foina, Herpestes ichneumon, Felis silvestris, Felis chaus, Lepus europaeus, Hemiechinus auratus, and Sus scrofa were recorded by phototraps. Hemiechinus auratus is a new record for Hatay region. Results showed that, because of the conservation efforts after the discovery of Mountain Gazelle, their population size has an increasing trend and one additional wild population is present in the Reyhanlı region.