After hedgehogs, martens are the new guests on the streets of Istanbul. Forum sites are full of posts by people who have seen martens in Istanbul. Wild Animal Veterinarian Ahmet Emre Kütükçü stated that they found marten cubs in some districts. They wander around at night and eat cat food.
Marten alarm in Istanbul after hedgehogs. According to the report of Uzay Kesmen from Gazete Habertürk; martens are frequently seen in Istanbul as well as hedgehogs. Martens roam the roofs of buildings and gardens, especially at night. WWF member and Wild Animal Veterinarian Ahmet Emre Kütükçü explained that the species seen in Istanbul is mostly ‘rock marten’.
THEY LIVE IN WOODEN HOUSES
Stating that martens shelter especially in the attics of wooden or detached houses, Kütükçü said, “They go out to feed at night. There are many animals they can hunt in Istanbul, such as rats and pigeons. They also have a sweet tooth. Sometimes they can enter houses if they find an open window. They also love eggs. They break it with their noses and suck from the inside. Both shelter and feeding opportunities for martens are wide in Istanbul. We received many reports from Fatih and Beyoğlu. We found a lot of baby martens in these areas. Martens are adapted to living in the city. However, the fact that new buildings are high and reinforced concrete causes these animals to turn to different areas.” Regarding the pigs that recently descended into the city from the forest area in Sarıyer on July 18, Kütükçü said, “If the forest area is not enough, then the pigs start to scan wider areas. Sometimes they enter the city in search of food. This tells us that pigs are now looking for food in the city and that the forest is not enough.”
PEOPLE SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
There are martens in the schoolyard behind my house in the Cerrahpaşa neighborhood. They eat the food I give to the cats. I live in Şehremini. For 17 years, martens still live in the old one-story building in the backyard. I often hear them shouting in the dark of night.
In Fındıkzade Haseki Sultan neighborhood, you can suddenly come across them under cars.
I work in Üsküdar State Emergency. I saw a marten last night around 2.5 a.m. when I went out to buy cigarettes by car. We also see them occasionally around Altunizade Koşuyolu. There are also porcupines. We also have squirrels in Validebag.
Source: www.milliyet.com.tr
