Page 275 - 7. State Of Environment Report Of Türkiye

Currently, Special Environmental Protection Areas are declared in accordance with Article 109 of
the Presidential Decree No. 1, Article 9 of the Environmental Law, Decree Law No. 383 and the By-
law on the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Determination, Registration and Approval
of Protected Areas. Article 109 of Presidential Decree No. 1, Article 9 of the Environmental Law,
Decree Law No. 383 and the By-law on the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Determina-
tion, Registration and Approval of Protected Areas. There are 19 Special Environmental Protecti-
on Areas in Türkiye and the area of these zones is 3.832.959,54 hectares.
As of 2020, there were 18 Special Environmental Protection Areas in Türkiye and the area of these
zones was 2,585,940 hectares, while as of 2024, the number of Special Environmental Protection
Areas increased to 19 with the declaration of Marmara Sea and Islands Special Environmental
Protection Area, and the area of these areas increased to 3,832,959.54 hectares.

F.3.1.1. Belek Special Environmental Protection Area

Belek Special Environmental Protection Area has a 29 km coastal area shaped by coastal dunes.
Extensive dune and forest areas with regional characteristics make the area very rich in terms of
biodiversity richness. Endemic fish species Aphanius Anatoliae, endemic Serik Pear (Pyrus Seri-
kensis), Caretta Caretta and Chelonia Mydas sea turtle species are among the riches of the region.

With the “Belek Special Environmental Protection Area Biodiversity Research Project” comple-
ted in 2019, 556 seeded plant taxa, 53 seedless plant taxa, 57 large and small mammal taxa, 245
bird species, 273 marine/inland water flora and fauna taxa, 25 reptiles, 4 bivalves, 248 inverteb-
rate taxa, 50 new records of seeded plants and 90 invertebrate taxa were identified.

Since 2021, reptile species have been monitored for the first time in Antalya, Muğla and Trab-
zon Provinces, Serik, Kaş, Köyceğiz, Ortaca and Çaykara districts of Antalya, Muğla and Trabzon
Provinces, together with Belek SEPA, Köyceğiz-Dalyan, Kaş-Kekova, Fethiye-Göcek and Uzungöl
Special Environmental Protection Areas. Within the scope of the monitoring study, 500 reptiles
(Herpetofauna Elements) were chipped and reptiles were monitored with radio telemetry sys-
tem.

Within the scope of the project, a total of 472 individuals, including 285 Red Newts (Lyciasala-
mandra Fazilae), 103 Tortoises (Testudo Graeca), 34 Chameleons (Chamaleo Chameleon), 5 Earth
Lizards (Ophiomorus Kardesi) and 45 Caucasian Frogs (Pelodytes Caucasicus) were captured
and tagged. Especially the Red Newt (Lyciasalamandra Fazilae) is one of the most important
endemic and endangered species in Türkiye, living only in the provinces of Muğla (Dalyan and
Fethiye).

F.3.1.2. Datça- Bozburun Special Environmental Protection Area

Datça-Bozburun Special Environmental Protection Area is particularly rich in vegetation. Olive
trees, Red pine communities, endemic Datça Date Palm (Phoenis Theophrast), Almond, Local Th-
yme, Oleander, Laurel and Locust reflect the typical Mediterranean vegetation characteristics. In
this region, 807 species of marine fauna and flora, 1.047 taxa of flora, 167 terrestrial invertebrates,
110 fish, 4 bivalves, 27 reptiles, 123 bird and mammal species were identified.

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