ANKARA
Veysel Eroglu, Minister of Forestry and Water Works said the number of species under "animal protection" list reached 507.
Replying a written question by a parliament member Eroglu said officials also sealed 21 breeding spots for sea turtles (caretta).
According to the statement by Eroglu the species under protection includes the Mediterranean Seals that numbered only 50 to 100.
Aside from turtles and seals the Striped Hyena, a local type of gazelle (Gazelle Subgutturosa), Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita), Euphrates turtles, Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) are in the protection list. Eroglu also referred to the protection regulations for various species and said number of regulations will reach 100 by 2023.
