Ethno-biology Case Study in Beylikdüzü
made by: Esra Erdem & Gülşen Kopuz
This project is based on a field study conducted in Vali Recep Yazıcıoğlu Park, focusing on everyday interactions between humans and urban animals. Through on-site observation and informal interviews, we explored how people and animals share the same space, often without planning, yet through repeated routines and small gestures.
By mapping daily behaviors over time and listening to individual experiences, the study examines coexistence as a fragile and ongoing process—shaped by care, neglect, and the absence of a clear system. Rather than offering solutions, the project shows what already exists: a shared ground where human life and animal life intersect.
Temporal Mapping of Human and Animal BehaviorIn the first stage of the project, we constructed a time-based behavioral diagram that records the daily rhythms of both humans and animals in the park. All day long, different user groups and animal species were observed and categorized according to time, activity, and interaction patterns. This was important to observe how and when different personas interact with animals and the intersections between.
-Evening visitors and passersby
Animal groups include:
-Stray cats and dogs-Pigeons and crows-Domesticated animals accompanying their owners
By placing these groups along a shared timeline, the diagram highlights moments of overlap, encounter, and avoidance. Certain hours show dense interaction—feeding, resting, playing—while others reveal parallel but disconnected presences. The diagram does not aim to romanticize coexistence, but instead exposes how human routines structure animal survival, often unintentionally.
Interviews and Real Life Examples of Coexistence
The second stage of the project is based on one-on-one interviews with park users. Participants were asked about their daily habits, their perceptions of stray animals, and their personal involvement in care practices such as feeding, cleaning, or avoidance. Through quotes and visual fragments, the project shows how care can be both gentle and harmful. Improper feeding, abandoned food waste, and poorly maintained shelters create unintended consequences—hygiene issues, territorial conflicts between animals, and tension among park users.
There are many stray animals living in this park. Have you noticed who takes care of them?
-I don’t know much about animals. I’ve never really thought about their living conditions.
How does uncoordinated feeding affect the park and the animals?
-Even though people mean well, randomly leaving bread mixed with soup doesn’t help. The animals don’t eat it. It spreads across the ground, creates dirt, and puts us in a difficult position as cleaning staff. Without coordination, good intentions turn into waste.
How are stray animals sustained in this park?
-They are fed every day. Water is renewed every two days. I take care of it, along with another woman. We don’t organize or plan — we simply return, again and again, to refill what is missing.
What does feeding actually mean here?
-Mostly dry food, sometimes meals prepared at home — boiled chicken and vegetables. Bread should not be left. It harms animals, stays untouched, and turns into waste.
What has changed about the dogs’ presence over time?
-There used to be many. Most were taken away. A few remain because shopkeepers protect them. Now the dogs no longer stay in the park — they gather near shops, where food is still shared and not thrown away.
Who takes care of the stray animals in this area, and how would you describe your own relationship with them?
-I don’t know of any official or institutional support, but there is one woman I’ve repeatedly seen taking care of the dogs. She regularly comes by car to an open vacant lot nearby where many stray dogs stay, bringing food and water and tending to them with clear consistency. I’ve seen her at least once or twice a week. Personally, I’m afraid of dogs due to a childhood trauma, so my interaction is limited and often reactive when they bark or approach. Still, this neighborhood is generally attentive to stray animals, with feeding points and water bowls placed in several streets.
How does the cat house initiative operate throughout the year?
-Once a year, leftover raw materials and returned or cracked products are reinforced and gradually assembled. By the end of the year, these fragments become cat houses, and the annual distribution campaign begins.
What is the scale and distribution model of the project?
-Cat houses are distributed through stores once a year for a symbolic fee of 1 TL, with one unit per customer. Organizations and volunteer groups can apply to receive more. Across the company, production reaches at least 50,000 units annually, with individual stores receiving around 300–400, depending on local demand.
How do you usually interact with stray animals in this area, and how would you describe your everyday relationship with them? -Sometimes I carry dry food in my bag. Not just for here — there are many cats at our school too. If I have it with me and come across one, I feed them.
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