Storks on the migration route find healing in this house.

Storks, who have survived many dangers on their challenging migration journey from Europe to Africa, find healing in “Ormanya,” the largest natural life park in Europe. Storks that are unable to continue their migration are hosted at the Disabled Stork House, where they receive care and treatment.

Ormanya, which was brought to the city by the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, hosts thousands of storks every year. Inspired by the “Gurabahane-i Laklakan,” the first animal hospital during the Ottoman period, the Disabled Stork House hosts injured or migration-weary storks that could not participate in the migration. Treatments are conducted by veterinarians for storks that fall to the ground.

In these areas, enrichments such as perches, heating systems, sand pools, and water pools have also been made for the storks. Special feeding rations are applied to the storks, whose feeding is also monitored. Storks that cover thousands of kilometers from Europe to Africa come together with citizens in Ormanya during the migration period, which is most intense between May and September.

Healing in heated shelters

Önder Alioğlu, the Chief of Natural Living Areas at Ormanya Natural Life Park, stated that migration-weary and injured storks are hosted in this special area, saying, “We are conducting studies on the treatment, rehabilitation, and release of storks back into nature. Our area is approximately 800 square meters, with 90 square meters being closed space. There is an area that includes ponds and similar spaces, with heated shelters. Our storks are here for treatment purposes.”

Önder Alioğlu pointed out that storks arrive at the Disabled Stork House in May and migrate in September, emphasizing, “It is a very long migration journey. They may face some dangers on this long journey. They can get electrocuted or injured. In such cases, we carry out operations at Ormanya’s Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.”

Alioğlu also stated that they conduct ringing studies at the Disabled Stork House, saying, “One of the most important features of this area is the ringing work done on the storks. We send off the stork that is ringed in Turkey on its migration journey to Africa.”