Hatay mountain gazelle habitat violation results in heavy fine

An individual has been fined 699,245 TL for unauthorized soil plowing within the Hatay Mountain Gazelle Production Center in the Kırıkhan district of Hatay, Turkey.

The violation was discovered during routine inspections by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. The area, covering 13,300 hectares near the Syrian border, is a protected wildlife zone established in 2014 to protect the Gazella gazella species from hunting and habitat loss.

Authorities noted that conservation efforts have successfully increased the local mountain gazelle population from an initial 80 individuals to over 1,500. The General Directorate emphasized its commitment to protecting both the endangered species and their natural ecosystems through continued monitoring and strict enforcement of environmental regulations.