Foça Special Environmental Protection Area

Tag

City: Izmir

Area (ha): 71.44

Announcement Date: 21.11.1990

General features

Biodiversity

Flora: The region is under the influence of the typical Mediterranean climate. Winters are mild and rainy, summers are dry and hot. Approximately 50% of Foça District is covered with Turkish pine forests. The flora consists mainly of maquis.

Some of the areas to the east of the city consist of olive groves and most of these areas are in the I. and II. These are the areas designated as natural protected areas. Foça center is an urban protected area.

Fauna: Most of the importance of the region stems from the seals that have lived here for thousands of years and even gave the district its name. Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)  is one of the endangered species, with about 400 remaining in the world today. It is estimated that the number on the coasts of Turkey is less than 100. The Siren Cliffs, which form the western coast of Orak Island, are of vital importance in terms of the caves used by the seals for breeding and breeding. The coasts in the region are known as one of the most suitable habitats for seals with their rich fish stocks and sea shallows.

In general, species such as pigs, wolves, jackals, foxes, marten, partridges, doves and quails live in its forests. Gediz Delta, on the other hand, is frequented by migratory birds and is rich in fish species. Wild goose can be seen abundantly here in winter and autumn.

Foça Peninsula has a lucky position in terms of aquaculture since it has a coastline consisting of small and large bays from Aliağa District to the point where the Gediz River empties into the sea. For this reason, fishing has been a sector in Foça history for a long time. Sea bream (Sparus auratus), sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), striped seabream (Pagellus mormyrus), mullet (Mugil sp.), whiting (Merlangius merlangus), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), sardine (Sardina pilchardus) etc. provides the source.