A frightening sight in Bitlis! 'They couldn't find their place'
Lake Arin , called "bird paradise" in the Adilcevaz district of Bitlis , has begun to shrink due to the drought that has been effective in recent years.
Arin Lake, one of Bitlis's important wetlands and home to thousands of birds of many species, is negatively affected by climatic changes.
Located at the foothills of Mount Süphan, Türkiye's third-highest mountain, the lake has experienced a retreat of approximately 5 kilometers in coastal areas due to insufficient rainfall, a dry season, and irresponsible water use.
Struggling to meet their livestock's water needs, villagers resorted to drilling for underground water. However, this comes at a cost and added difficulty for the villagers.
Villagers are demanding that authorities take precautions and develop permanent solutions for the lake's surroundings. They say that if the water loss in Lake Arin continues, both agriculture and livestock will suffer serious damage.
Village headman Cahit Erçetin said, "We used to be able to see the lake from our house. Now we can barely reach it on foot, even with our children. Birds and other animals are devastated because they are left without water."
"We, as villagers, came together and dug a well and built a panel pool to meet the water needs of our animals. That's how we're managing for now," he said.
Using money raised through collective effort, villagers began drilling near the dried-up areas of the lake. A pool of water from the first well has been created, providing some water for the local animals.
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