Thousands of baby flamingos die at lake in Turkey after drought

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Nature lovers blame farming practices along with climate change for the drought, which caused demand for water in the area outstrip supply by nearly 50 per cent last year. Only 5,000 eggs hatched in the colony this year, Mr Tunc said, and most of the chicks had died for lack of water on the partially dried lake. Last year, the annual water reserve in the basin was 4.5 billion cubic metres, but consumption reached 6.5 billion cubic meters, according to a local environmental foundation. open image in gallery Turkey is a big nesting ground for flamingos Turkish agriculture minister Bekir Pakdemirli said around 1,000 birds were thought to have died, but denied that agriculture was to blame.