They will pay thousands of dollars to kill wild animals in Turkey

In Turkey, 725 wild animals are allowed to be hunted this year as part of hunting tourism. These animals include 400 wild boars, 235 wild goats, 38 red deer, 23 wild goats with defective horns, 18 chamois, 6 hybrid wild goats, and 5 Anatolian wild sheep.

The fees in the related auctions are staggering, with the lowest starting at 540,000 TL. Hunting quotas are distributed between travel agencies affiliated with the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB) and local hunters. Hunting tourism agencies claim that these activities significantly contribute to the economy. For instance, the cost to hunt a wild goat, which was €7,500 five years ago, has risen to as much as €20,000.

Wealthy individuals, including Russian oligarchs and American hunters, are drawn to hunting tourism in Turkey. Even Donald Trump’s son reportedly hunted in the country.

However, organizations like the Nature Association criticize the quotas for not being based on scientific data and claim that population counts lack adequate expertise. Animal rights advocates are also critical, particularly regarding the hunting of species like wild goats, which are classified as “near threatened.”