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| The AFBİKA |
I have been writing news about my friends at the SAD-AFAG for The Gate for a long time now. As you know, since it was established in 1987, the SAD-AFAG has always worked hand in hand with volunteers from the local community to protect us seals. Since it began fieldwork in 1988, the SAD-AFAG has been working hard to create a computerised database of sightings. However, this lacked a systematised structure. Now, an official information and rescue network for Mediterranean monk seals has been established with the support of the Delegation of the European Commission Turkey. As a result, my friends at the SAD-AFAG and the Dokuz Eylül University / Institute of Marine Studies and Technology (DEÜ/DBTE) have now established the 'Akdeniz Foku Bilgi ve Kurtarma Ağı' (AFBİKA) (Mediterranean Monk Seal Information and Rescue Network). Following the establishment of this network, the SAD-AFAG went to 57 different towns along the Aegean and Southwest Marmara coast between Çanakkale and Muğla to ask local volunteers to join the AFBİKA and help collect news about live, sick, wounded, dead or orphaned seals. At the end of this fieldwork, 58 new sightings were recorded. The good news is that although there are only a few us of left, our population covers a wide area of Turkey's shores.
If you wish to declare a record a seal sighting with the AFBİKA, call 0533-488 58 58 or fill out a form at www.afag.org.
Sleepyhead
To become a Mediterranean monk seal mother or father, your donation must be at least 50 YTL. To become a seal sibling, your donation must be at least 30 YTL. 20 YTL or more makes you a seal friend. Contact the SAD-AFAG for details. Tel: +90 312-213 08 34. www.afag.org
