Darıca

Known as Turkey's oldest turtle, Tuki, which lives in the Faruk Yalçın Zoo in the northwestern province of Kocaeli's Darıca district, has turned 99.

Samir the rhino, one of the most popular members of Darıca Zoo in Kocaeli, has enjoyed a manicure and skin care session before the start of the Bayram holiday. Health and skin care for Samir is very important for the 2.5-ton rhino, which knows English commands as it came from England, according to zoo officials.

The local branch of the Forestry Ministry in the northwestern province of Kocaeli on Jan. 30 filed a criminal complaint against a port in the industrial Dilovası district, which led to the spillage of 100 tons of oil into the İzmit Gulf. 

Dubbed the "living genbank" since it is home to many endangered animals, the Faruk Yalçın Zoo in Darıca close to Istanbul received 400,000 visitors last year. 

Education and Marketing Director Gökmen Aydın said the zoo in the northwestern province of Kocaeli was home to 3,600 animals from 286 species, making it the zoo with the most species in Turkey.