Kemal Basat: No Healthy Donkey Will Be Euthanized

Basat addressed the allegations reported in Turkey's 'Sözcü Newspaper' regarding the Karpaz donkeys in a statement made on his social media account.

Basat remarked, “The issue of stray donkeys throughout our country and specifically in the Karpaz Peninsula has been a growing problem for the past 50 years, affecting both the donkeys, the environment, and the local residents.”

He added, “To find a permanent solution to this problem and transform the current lose-lose-lose situation into a win-win-win for the stray donkeys, the environment, and the local population, Taşkent Nature Park has taken initiative. At the end of 2023, a 10-year Donkey Management Plan Protocol was signed with the TRNC Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Erenköy Karpaz Municipality, and preparations have begun.”

"WORK IS PROGRESSING WITH DETERMINATION"

Continuing his statement, Basat said:

“In this context, a multidisciplinary and multisectoral scientific committee has been established under the leadership of DoğaPark to prepare the 10-year Donkey Management Plan. Additionally, with support from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), a Research Station has been established in Karpaz, which will serve as the central hub for this project. As you can understand, major projects require extensive preparation, and thorough planning is crucial for lasting success. Our efforts in this regard are progressing with determination.”

"NO HEALTHY DONKEY WILL BE EUTHANIZED"

Referring to the article in Sözcü Newspaper and its repercussions in local media, Basat clarified, “At no point during the preparation phase before signing the protocol, nor before or after its signing, has there been any discussion or argument among stakeholders about euthanizing the donkeys, let alone any mention of it.”

He asserted, “There is a signed protocol, and its executor is the professional and expert organization DoğaPark. Under this protocol, there is absolutely no question of euthanizing any healthy donkey. There is neither discussion nor conflict on this matter, nor can there be.”

"DOĞAPARK WILL MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY IN ALL ITS WORK RELATED TO KARPAZ DONKEYS"

Director Basat concluded his statement by saying:

“In fact, if you read the short content of the article, while village heads express their legitimate grievances, they do not demand the euthanization of animals. The article does not specify who made the euthanization request or who is involved in the alleged 'conflict.' It appears that the writer of the article used their imagination to create a headline first and did not check if the content matched the headline. Please do not trust such superficial, unfounded, and artificially created news that serve no purpose other than to create a false agenda. DoğaPark will continue all its work related to the Karpaz donkeys transparently at every stage.”