Planning ecological networks in the Cilo and Sat Mountains National Park and Yüksekova Nehil Marshland triangle

Worldwide, biodiversity is rapidly declining, and one of the main reasons for this is the degradation of ecosystem functioning (such as nutrient cycles, productivity, and wildlife habitat). Due to various reasons, the natural connectivity between degraded habitats is decreasing, leading to the emergence of landscape patches, which is an important aspect of landscape planning. Hakkari has been affected by habitat fragmentation due to recent human interventions (migration, population growth, etc.). The aim of this thesis is to: i) determine landscape corridors between patches formed in three areas between Hakkari Cilo and Sat Mountains National Park and Nehil Marshland, ii) identify the reasons for wildlife deaths in the identified areas, and iii) provide recommendations based on survey result analyses and maps generated through Remote Sensing methods. The study identified habitat areas for both small and large mammals (especially mountain goats), reptiles, and birds through survey work and literature reviews. As a result, three buffer zones have been identified among the three major habitats (Cilo Mountain, Sat Mountain, and Nehil Marsh). This study can serve as a reference in addition to previous scientific research.