Distribution of many carnivores in Turkey has been largely reduced during the 20th century. Neither leopard nor hyena roams in the west of Anatolia anymore. Reduction of prey base is known as a primary factor in the extinction of a carnivore. Though no such studies exist to verify this in Turkey, it is believed that sport hunting is one of the aspects in the reduction of carnivore?s preys. Questionnaire surveys demonstrated that 70 percent of the hunters detected a decrease in animal populations whilst an increase in the number of hunters. According to the facts of Turkish Department of Interior, hunter numbers has been doubled in every 7 years, and approximately 100 million small animals were hunted by 2 million hunters per year as of 1997. Studies have revealed that a high amount of hunters were not aware of hunting bans, the level of knowledge on ecology of instructors in hunting courses were low and the number of hunters in Turkey are not controlled.
This project aims to prepare an 80 pages book to increase awareness of hunters, correct their misinformation on carnivores and decrease their hunting practices by means of using carnivores as flagship species. The book is also going to be the text book of the new lecture on the ecology and importance carnivores, which will be added to the current curriculum of the ?basic hunters training courses? given to approximately 5000 hunters in Turkey by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks.