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The Taskent Nature Park’s Donkey Adoption Campaign has received overwhelming public backing, raising 292,532 TL (€8,500) within just a day. This initiative seeks to protect abandoned donkeys in the occupied areas of Cyprus, where neglect and mismanagement have long plagued these animals.
The campaign’s success was announced by Kemal Basat, the park’s director, who urged further participation, emphasizing that the amount raised had already helped save the equivalent of 38.5 donkeys.
Ongoing crisis: Neglect and mismanagement
The campaign comes in the wake of a shocking incident in Karpasia, where 14 donkeys were found shot dead. Activists, including Hasan Sarpten from the Biologists’ Association, condemned the lack of action by authorities over the past two decades. He highlighted that despite promises and allocated budgets, no meaningful action has been taken to protect these animals.
Sarpten proposed a sustainable solution, estimating that a €200-per-donkey annual budget could resolve the issue within 10 years. However, he criticized the authorities for failing to implement protective measures, calling for continued public pressure to ensure accountability.
Calls for urgent action
An investigation confirmed that the donkeys were shot at close range, with one pregnant donkey killed while in labor. Meanwhile, protests have erupted, and activists argue that the crisis reflects a broader environmental neglect in the occupied areas, including the looming threat of a pine caterpillar infestation.
Sarpten warned that unless the public keeps the issue alive, authorities will continue to ignore it.
With information from the Cyprus Mirror.
