Turkey Conducts Unique DNA Test Due to “Clever Hunter”

28th January 2025

1 minute read

Turkey Conducts Unique DNA Test Due to "Clever Hunter"

Turkish authorities were compelled to perform a DNA test on unidentified meat remnants, suspecting that a hunter had violated the law by poaching a protected animal and concealing evidence of his act.

The incident occurred when the Turkish gendarmerie visited the home of a resident in a rural area of Antalya province, southern Turkey, following a tip-off that the individual might have illegally hunted a wild goat, a species protected by hunting bans in the country.

According to local media, the cunning hunter had poached the goat and attempted to cover up his violation before the arrival of the gendarmerie. However, searches and inspections on-site led to the discovery of reddish traces on the ground and the smell of blood in the area.

The hunter claimed that he had been chopping tomatoes at the spot, which explained the lingering red stains despite cleaning. However, the patrol was not convinced and decided to verify the claim scientifically.

In coordination with the Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and a research center affiliated with a local university, the gendarmerie conducted a DNA analysis of the samples collected from the suspicious site in the hunter’s home.

The analysis results confirmed that the hunter had not been cutting tomatoes, as he claimed, but that the traces belonged to a wild goat he had illegally hunted.

The Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks imposed a fine of over 650,000 Turkish lira (more than $18,000) on the hunter.

Despite this significant fine, implemented to protect wild goats from extinction, similar incidents of illegal hunting continue to occur periodically in Turkey’s rural areas, as some hunters struggle to resist pursuing these protected animals.