Turkey Trip Part IV:  Shepherds, Sheep, and Kangal Guardians

The most interesting part of my trip to Turkey was the chance to see and interact with shepherds, their sheep and the working Kangals protecting them.

The shepherds will sometimes spend months in the field tending their flock moving them from one area to another allowing them to graze.  The countryside is beautiful with picturesque views of mountains, valleys and small villages.  However, danger lurks in the form of wolf packs that prey on the sheep.  Most every shepherd we visited could tell us stories of wolf sightings.

Moving with the sheep, blending in almost unnoticed were the protectors, the sentinels, the majestic Kangal dogs.  Wearing spiked collars that serve as their armor and cropped ears to lessen the chances of injury in a life or death battle with wolves these guardians will spring into action at a moments notice to defend their flock.

At night the sheep are taken to small fenced areas to help protect them.  While the sheep sleep, Kangals are guarding both inside and outside their corral.

Onur has two shepherds working for him.  One of them takes his sheep out early in the morning and brings them back to his farm for the night.  The other shepherd takes Onur’s lambs out twice a day and helps around the farm the rest of the time.  The next three pictures show Onur’s lambs heading out in the morning.

                                                     Can you spot the Kangal in the picture below?

This is Onur’s goat that leads the lambs out.  Notice the bell around his neck.  Also notice the fence posts made of concrete.  Wood is scarce in the area so reinforced concrete posts are used.

                                   At midday the shepherd brings the lambs back for their waiting grain.

                                    The lambs are not a bit sheepish when it comes to their midday grain.

Onur took of his 9 month old Kangal males (brothers) to the field with us on Monday afternoon.  The dogs were naturals staying with the flock and checking the area for predators.  Onur is shown below with one of the Kangal males.  

The Kangals checked out an area below where the sheep were grazing.  Onur’s shepherd said that he had seen a wolf in that area when he was out with the sheep on a previous day.  The dogs were checking out the area thoroughly.  Perhaps there was the scent of a recent wolf visit.

We visited several shepherds during my stay with Onur.  Here a couple of the dogs were coming in for a rest while others stayed with the flock in the distance.

                                 Everyone enjoys a little break from work and some shade when they can.

On Monday night Onur took me to the field again, this time to have dinner with a shepherd tending his flock.  We were taken in a truck up a hillside as far as we could go.  Onur became the trailblazer checking for boulders that could damage the truck.  He did a very good job of clearing the way.  After going as far as we could in the truck, we hiked until we were met by the shepherd and two large Kangal dogs with spiked collars.  The two Kangals followed us to the shepherd’s campsite inside a fenced area where the sheep were bedding down for the night.  We could hear other Kangals patrolling outside of the fenced area.

All of the shepherds are very hospitable and carry extra cups and silverware for visitors to share some hot tea and food.

Even though the shepherd could not speak English nor I Turkish his warm smile made me feel very welcome and comfortable.  He told Onur that he had heard wolves in the area earlier that evening and occasionally the Kangals patrolling outside would bark and growl.  The shepherd would shine his light to see if danger was nearby.

The life of a shepherd may seem harsh to many; however, they are shepherds because they love their Kangals and the animals they care for.  Onur is also a true shepherd.

Written By Ed Luthy                                    

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