As the spring’s arrival carpets eastern Turkey's high plateaus with new grass, herds of untamed horses and foals were seen grazing the Mercan Mountains in Tunceli.
In a region where agriculture and animal husbandry are common occupations, horses are occasionally set free by owners facing overwhelming difficulties in caring for and feeding their livestock.
After surviving the harsh winter, the yılkı horses, or Anatolian free-roaming horses, were seen near the Şahverdi and Işıkvuran villages of the Ovacık district, grazing on spring grass and drinking from streams flowing with the waters from the melted snow.
The high-altitude Ovacık district is home to the Munzur Valley National Park, Kırkmerdiven Waterfalls, Mercan Valley and Harami Stream. Each spring, it comes alive with bright green oak forests, bubbling springs, butterflies and bees.
The horses with their newborn foals add color to the verdant scene on the high plateaus of the district.
