| Lake Kuyucuk |
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The Kuyucuk Lake is one of most important wetlands of Kars with the status of "Key Biodiversity Area (KBA)" and "Important Bird Area (IBA)". It is a globally Important Bird Area (IBA) located at 37kms northeast of city center, and, 15 kms west of Akyaka town. Kuyucuk Lake (43o27' N 40o45' E) over 219 hectares, has an elevation of 1.627 meters. Kuyucuk Village is one km away from the lake. The lake, situated on the Kars-Akyaka high plateau, in the centre of an open, undulating landscape is fed with stream and spring waters (max depth 13 meters) which is diverted for livestock. Human activities around the lake include cereal production and stock-grazing. Surrounded by treeless steppe and a few Phragmites reed patches, the surrounding vegetation is mostly removed by sheep and cattle. Wheat is grown around and it is possible that some agricultural runoff occurs, but our chemical analyses showed the water to be mostly clean and an ideal candidate for restoration unusual in Turkey. Sean Anderson, Phd. from California State University, conducted chemical analyses at the lake in Spring 2006 and 2007. Irrigation for sugar beet plantation in the past drained the lake for a period. Although plantation of sugar beet has ended, about half of lake's water and some of its species were lost. The Kars-Akyaka road bisects the north end of the lake. The legal status of the lake is Wildlife Reserve.  The lake is crucial for ruddy shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea) and is a world class location for birdwatching. Kuyucuk Lake is the most important wetland in Kars for the birds. It hosts 207 bird species, some globally Endangered (White-headed Duck, Egyptian Vulture, Red-breasted Geese), and massive raptor and waterfowl populations, sometimes exceeding 35,000 birds at once. 136 of the lake's bird species were first dicovered during our bird surveys between 2004-2008 as part of the "Kars-Iğdır Biodiversity Project. The project team, on September 17 2004, enjoyed the sight of 10-12% of the world's ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) population (approximately 20.000) at Kuyucuk Lake in one single day. BBC World Report's footage of Lake Kuyucuk and our project can be seen here: |