The Butterfly Valley photos

Starting in the early 1970’s, backpackers and naturalists started to “discover” the Butterfly Valley in small numbers. With the help of a local man, known as “Lawyer Hasan”, they reached the valley by boat and then learned of the unique butterflies and fauna in the area. The splendor and rarity of the butterflies and fauna led Hasan and his friends vow to protect this land from being destroyed by the tourism industry that was beginning to boom in Turkey. To accomplish this, they started an intense campaign to inform and educate anyone interested in the protection of habitats. As years went by, the valley became renowned and was exposed to detrimental effects of mass tourism. However, the protection fight and efforts still continue.