Drone footage of the large saline lake in Turkey's central province of Konya showed dead flaminglets lying partially buried in dried mud. Lake Tuz is home to a flamingo colony where up to 10,000 flaminglets are born every year.
"With less water and increased concentration ratio in the water, we observed deaths of flaminglets that were unable to fly," he said. Environmentalists blame farming practices along with climate change for the drought, which saw demand for water in the area outstrip supply by 30 percent last year, according to a report published by Turkish environmental foundation TEMA.
Environmentalist and wildlife photographer Fahri Tunc said water supplies from a canal which feeds Lake Tuz were being redirected for farming.
LESS HUMANS, MORE NATURE NOW