Voices Newspaper Altinkum Didim Turkey - Badem faces death threats

DIDIM’s adopted seal Badem has been assigned three gendarme officials after one man threatened to harpoon it.

The seal, which injured a number of people last week in Bodrum, including Asım Küçükosmanoğlu who was trying to play with him, caused one person to threaten to harm the hapless animal.

One of the last existing 100 Mediterranean Monk Seals, Badem was released to the sea after he was washed up in Didim last year. He returned to the Bodrum Akyaka shore after spending the winter in the open sea.

Not leaving the Bodrum Ören Beach for days, Badem was again the centre of attention last week when he bit several people, including 65-year-old lawyer Küçükosmanoğlu who almost drowned due to the incident.

However, the incident took another twist, when members of the public heard beach lover Murat Sert expressing a rather less than positive view of the seal.

Mr Sert claimed that, like many others, he was timid of going in the sea and feared Badem. He said: “I have come here to swim. Yet I can not because Badem attacks.

“I have as much right as him to swim. If Badem comes across me when I am fishing with a harpoon, I will have no mercy for him. I will kill him and nobody can say a word.”

His forthright views aroused animal lovers who stated they were going to place a criminal complaint against Sert.

In the meantime, Badem all at sea, while three Gendarmes walk the beach to ensure no harm comes to him.