Tuz Gölü

The bird paradise Tuz Gölü and its surroundings, located within the borders of Aksaray, attract attention with their endemic plants while hosting hundreds of bird species with opportunities for sheltering, wintering and breeding. Tuz Gölü is one of Turkey's richest basins together with the bird population living in the small lakes and marshes around it. While this region lies on the migration route of wild birds, the absence of any important wetland other than Tuz Gölü and its surroundings in the middle of the steppe directs migratory birds to Tuz Gölü. Due to its high salt content, the lake, which does not freeze in winter, is also a good shelter for migratory birds.

Another feature that makes Tuz Gölü and its surroundings, which are a resting, feeding and wintering area for birds, privileged is that it is an important breeding area. In the lake, flamingos, cranes, wild geese, avocets, ruddy shelducks and similar birds, as well as plovers and wild ducks, live in groups. In the small lakes, puddles and marshes around the lake, marsh swallows, shelducks, ruddy shelducks and gull species continue their lives. Gene Bank of Drought-Resistant Plants Tuz Gölü has a very special and important habitat in terms of biodiversity. While many endemic halophytic and drought-resistant plant species found nowhere else in the world are found around the lake, many animal species also shelter in the region. The plant community adapted to the salty pan formed in the closed basin of Tuz Gölü is also found here. Halophyte (salt-loving) plants adapted to living in such areas are quite rich in the Eskil and Eşmekaya salt flats.

Tuz Gölü is especially a gene bank of species resistant to salt and drought. In other words, Tuz Gölü is in the position of a genetic reserve area. These species containing races resistant to salt and drought are an invaluable genetic resource in our world that is rapidly becoming arid and barren. If there are problems growing plants in the future due to global warming, the gap can be closed by transferring the genes of endemic plants growing in the Tuz Gölü Basin to vegetables and fruits.

Tuz Gölü is an extremely rich area both faunistically and floristically. While salty areas generally do not contain endemic species, it is remarkable that Tuz Gölü is rich in endemic species. While there are nearly 38 endemic species around Tuz Gölü, nearly 20 of them are found only in Tuz Gölü and in Eskil and Eşmekaya around it. Tuz Gölü endemic plant species, hundreds of bird species and the redness formed at sunset in Tuz Gölü have significant photo safari potential. On a photo safari starting from Eskil, bird species in the marshes, small ponds and Tuz Gölü can be photographed together with endemic plants. At sunset, the backlight formed when the redness occurring in Tuz Gölü falls on the lake surface offers unforgettable frames for photography enthusiasts.

Source: Aksaray Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

Places to Visit in Aksaray Address: Tuz Gölü /Eskil District /Aksaray