A large-scale program to preserve the donkey population has begun on the Karpas Peninsula

A new stage of the project to manage the population of free-roaming donkeys has begun on the Karpas Peninsula. As part of the program, construction has started on a care and rehabilitation center where the animals will be examined, treated and prepared for relocation to specially equipped protected areas.

The director of the Tashkent Kemal Basat Nature Park said the project is рассчитан on 10 years: the first year was devoted to preparation, followed by three years of active implementation and six years of monitoring and support.

According to him, all found donkeys will be examined by veterinarians, microchipped, given the necessary tests and, if needed, treated. One of the key measures will be the sterilization of males, which will help control the number of animals and reduce the level of aggression between them.

Specialists note that uncontrolled growth of the donkey population harms the nature of Karpas, agriculture and often causes road traffic accidents. At the same time, donkeys are domestic animals and are not able to exist independently without human involvement.

The project organizers called on residents to report the date, time and place where free-roaming donkeys were seen. This will help specialists find the animals faster and provide them with the necessary assistance.

The project is being implemented by the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute together with the Erenköy-Karpas municipality, the Department of Environmental Protection, scientists and public organizations. According to the organizers, this is the largest-ever program to protect and manage the donkey population developed in Northern Cyprus.