VAN, Türkiye
The shores of Lake Van in eastern Türkiye are brimming with people as crowds pour in to catch a glimpse of a unique phenomenon: the treacherous journey of pearl mullets trying to reach their breeding ground.
From mid-April to mid-July, the fish navigate upstream through raging waters of the lake’s tributaries to access a freshwater stream where they can lay their eggs.
Every year, thousands of visitors come in to witness the pearl mullets’ fight for survival.
The fish start gathering around at the start of April and set off once they are able to adapt physiologically, according to Mustafa Akkus, an aquaculture professor at the Van Yuzuncu Yil University.
“This year, the flow of water is low due to a drought. That makes their migration all the more challenging,” he said.
Apart from the drought, poaching is another major threat to the pearl mullets, Akkus told Anadolu.
