FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Kemal Basat, Director of Tashkent Nature Park, took to social media to address concerns raised by Avtepe Headman Rezvan İnlen regarding damage caused by free-roaming donkeys to local crops in north Cyprus.
The donkey issue has been highlighted recently after the brutal shooting which killed 16 animals.
Basat emphasized that the so-called “donkey problem” is fundamentally a human issue, shaped by decades of mismanagement and conflict between human and donkey needs.
Basat explained that stray donkeys, often romanticized as symbols of tourism, have increasingly encroached on agricultural lands, causing significant economic losses to farmers.
Over the past 50 years, donkeys have expanded their habitat far beyond the Karpaz National Park, often competing for food, water, and space.
This has exacerbated tensions in the region, impacting both local livelihoods and the environment, including protected areas like Avtepe’s Special Environmental Protection Area, home to the endangered medoş tulips.
Acknowledging the frustration of residents like İnlen, Basat called for a balanced, holistic approach to resolving the issue.
He stressed the need to protect both the donkeys and the agricultural community, highlighting the role of professional environmental organizations like Tashkent Nature Park in creating sustainable, win-win solutions.