Seyfe Lake Bird Sanctuary

Seyfe Lake is one of the few salty lakes in Central Anatolia. Located in the northeast of Kırşehir, the lake is 16 km away from Mucur. The region consists of wetlands and reeds and marshy areas. To the east of the lake, there are many islets of reeds close to the shore. A total of 187 bird species, including songbirds, exist in these islets and around the lake. The lake is one of the most important wetlands not only of Turkey, but also of the world, as a feeding, breeding and accommodation area for water birds. One of the largest flamingo communities in the world (320 thousand units) is live in the lake. The lake is also a stop over area of hundreds of thousands of ducks in the fall. Other important bird species that feed and stay in Seyfe Lake are; teals, pelicans, herons, ringed plovers, geese, sword-billeds, seagulls, bitterns and common terns. In the islands in the east of the lake in the spring, thousands of birds, especially these birds, nest. In addition, there are large birds such as bustard and cranes in the Malya State Production Farm. Lake Seyfe is one of the important gathering areas of storks in autumn. It is determined that 480 thousand birds live together in the region. The most beautiful images in Lake Seyfe are viewed from the mound near Seyfe Village.  It is also possible to come from the Badıllı quarter of Seyfe to the edge of the lake and watch the beauty of the lake and the flamingos. In addition, flamingos can be watched from many parts of the lake in the summer months.  However, the absence of an observatory by the lake restricts the possibility of close monitoring. According to international organizations; the regions where more than 25 thousand water birds coexist within 24 hours are declared as a first degree natural protected area. Since Seyfe Lake is above this classification, it attracts the attention of many foreign ornithologists and environmentalists. The lake and its surroundings were declared as "Nature Conservation Area" in 1990. The lake is also the first degree “Natural Site Area”. The International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP) has included 27 species of birds living on Lake Seyfe to the preservation list. These endangered birds have been taken under protection by the Bern Convention, to which Turkey is also a party. In 1994, it was included in the list of internationally important wetlands by the TR Government, which was made under “International Convention for the Protection of Wetlands”, signed in 1971 in the City of Ramsar (Iran) to improve the protection and rational use of wetlands worldwide. The works initiated to both promote and protect the region are continuing swiftly.    

Hirfanlı Dam

Hirfanlı Dam has an area of 26,300 hectares and covers Kaman, Kırşehir Central and Şerefli Koçhisar. Hirfanlı Dam Lake, which was completed in 1959 in order to produce electricity, to prevent the floods and to be used in watering and was opened for operating on 8th of January in 1960, is a big dam lake in the north-east of Lake Tuz and located on Kızılırmak. The highest number of water birds found in the dam in the recent years is 133,809.  Since the area is very big the whole area is not counted in the same day and, so it has been thought that the exact number of the water birds spending the winter there is more than this number. Hirfanlı Dam Lake, known as “The Sea of the Middle Anatolian”, has been remarkable with its peerless view, beaches and social foundations.  Besides, in the villages around Hirfanlı Dam Lake fishing is a considerable income source. Toklumen Village, 50 kilometres far away from Kırşehir, Sıdıklı Büyükoba Village, 25 kilometres far away from Kırşehir, Davulağıl Region with its beaches and foundations and Savcılı Büyükoba beaches are among the places where people from everywhere visit most. In the Summer months, the shores of the dam of Yeşilli, Uzunali and Karaduraklı villages 27 to 30 kilometres far away from Kırşehir are among the places used as camp site. The area including most parts of Hirfanlı Dam was declared as a tourism center with the 2004/8321 numbered Ministers Committee Decision in 2004. Besides, through expropriation in a 137,400 m2 area registered in the name of Youth and Sports General Directorate it has been planned that activities like underwater sports, sail, oar and kano are arranged by the rafting federations, youth camps, universities and education centered. Hirfanlı Youth Camp and Scouting Training Center has been opened by Ministry of Youth and Sports in 2014. The capacity of Hirfanlı Youth Camp and Scouting Training Center is 270 persons. The camp consists of bungalow houses and a 2-storey guesthouse and has a 78 – room capacity. As events at the camp; the activities such as crafts, theater, music, folk dances, artificial climbing, oriyantring, paintball, hiking, chess, canoeing, badminton, volleyball, football, tennis and archery are being performed.  In addition, informative training to the young people regarding the topics of harmful habits for their personal development and social responsibility and volunteer works, ethics and human values education and informative introduction on the lifestyles of important personalities and their works is being provided.  

Çuğun Dam

Çuğun Dam Lake is a dam lake which is opened to enterprise in 1970 to prevent flood and for irrigation, it is 20 km away from Kırşehir and placed in North West of Çuğun Village. Çuğun Dam is a type of soil rock filling. Çuğun Dam Lake, which is convenient for especially wind surfing among the water sports, is one of the most perferable area as a picnic and popular excursion sport place. Some fish species such as carp, mirror carp and chub live in the lake, which is suitable for fishing. The lake, which freezes completely in winter also presents a striking view for visitors.  

Obruk Lake

Obruk lake is on the 30 kilometres south of Kırşehir and 10 kilometres south of Mucur District and on the 1 kilometre north of the Kırşehir – Kayseri highway and almost near the Obruk Village. It can be seen that Obruk Lake, which was declared as a first degree natural site with the decision dated 20/09/1991 and numbered 1106 of Kayseri Conservation of Culture and Nature Existence Committee, the environment of the lake is surrounded by the natural rocks that simply remind a wall. The depth till the surface of the lake is about 100 metres and its diameter is approximately 900 metres. The depth of the lake is about 4 or 5 metres and it is known that there are very deep parts in patches. Fish species such as carp, mirror carp and green tench live in the lake. Almost half of the surface of the lake is covered with the reed beds and other water plants.