From baby birds with broken wings to great horned owls, marbled polecats, hawks and griffon vultures, hundreds of animals are being treated at a special rehabilitation center in Çanakkale, northwestern Turkey.

Many different types of animals that have been injured in their natural habitats for various reasons are cared for at the rehabilitation center established at the Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP) Çanakkale Branch Office. A large number of animals are taken to the center to be looked after by its expert veterinarians, with municipal teams bringing the animals in and citizens helping too.

Injured animals brought into the center are initially examined and then undergo an intensive treatment process at the wildlife clinic before being released back into their natural habitats once the treatment is complete. A large number of animals have been saved thanks to the experts' treatment, which can span between one week to 45 days at times.

While some endangered species are kept in intensive care, the newborns are released to nature after they grow up and regain their health.

DKMP Çanakkale branch manager Ozan Hacıalioğlu told Anadolu Agency (AA) that as the directorate, they carry out all kinds of care and treatment.

"These two months are the breeding and raising periods of wild animals, and for birds to fly out of the nest. The birds trying to fly, fall from the nests. Our responsible citizens rapidly bring them here. We have many crow cubs at the moment. We have one owlet, a long-eared owl. We transferred them from the Ezine region. The owlet was very small, it fell out of the nest, now it has grown, it has flourished, its feathers have developed," Hacıalioğlu explained.

"We also have a horned owl with a wounded wing. We are trying to treat his wound. When it recovers, we will release it back to nature," he added.

Noting that there are many rare species at the clinic, he said: "We also have marbled polecats that have intruded to a local's garden. The mother and her four cubs. We can't encounter them much in nature. We have seen them for the first time. They are very beautiful animals. We have completed their care and treatment." He also warned the locals not to shoot birds of prey as "they snatch chickens and chicks."

A high number of fawns are brought to the clinic, Hacıalioğlu said, explaining that the mother is usually still close by and advising citizens not to interfere too early. "It is useful to watch for a few hours. Sometimes locals bring the fawns rapidly. Yet it can be traumatizing for the baby. We take care of them here, but no matter how much we take care of them, we cannot be like their mother. If you find birds on the road, their nests must be near. Let's try to put them back in their nests, let's not separate them from their mothers because they are trying to fly. Let's be careful about these too."

DKMP veterinarian Meltem Dimişgi said that there are different treatment options available for hundreds of species.

Stating that the process starts with the quarantine process, she said: "We carry out an external examination and physical examination before we take the animal inside. If the animal does not carry any infectious disease, we take them into the clinic."

Explaining that "important guests" have been treated at the wildlife center, she said: "We are treating our marbled polecat, which is among the endangered creatures in the reports prepared by the World Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. We have a cub marbled polecat. It has completed its one-month-long treatment and it will be released into the wild."

She also emphasized that besides mammals, there are also many birds at the center.