Associated Press Worldstream
March 4, 2005 Friday 1:59 PM Eastern Time

Turkey renames animals to eliminate references to Kurds and Armenians

ANKARA, Turkey

Turkey is renaming three indigenous animals to eliminate references
to Kurdistan and Armenia, the Environment and Forestry Ministry
announced Friday, saying the old names were given by foreigners with
designs on the country’s unity.

A species of red fox known as “Vulpes Vulpes Kurdistanica” will now
be known as just “Vulpes Vulpes,” a species of wild sheep called
“Ovis Armeniana” was changed to “Ovis Orientalis Anatolicus,” and a
type of deer known as “Capreolus Capreolus Armenus” was renamed
“Capreolus Cuprelus Capreolus,” a ministry statement said.

“Unfortunately, foreign scientists, who for many years researched
Turkey’s flora and fauna, named plant and animal species that they
had never come across before with a prejudiced mind-set,” the
statement said.

“Unfortunately, there are many species in our country that were named
in this way with ill intent. This ill intent is so obvious that even
species that are endemic to our country were given names that are
against our unitary structure,” the statement added.

Eastern Anatolia was once home to a large Armenian population.
Armenians accuse Turkey of genocide, saying that 1.5 million
Armenians in eastern Turkey were slaughtered as the Ottoman Empire
forced Armenians out of eastern Anatolia. Turkey denies the genocide
and says the death count is inflated.

Many Turks fear that neighboring Armenia, which Turkey does not
formally recognize, aspires to reclaim the territory where Armenians
once lived.

Turkey also fears that Kurds living in the southeast aspire to break
away from the country. Turkey has been battling autonomy-seeking
Kurdish rebels since 1984. Some 37,000 people have died as a result
of the conflict.

The ministry said the new names were chosen through scientific
research.

It was not clear why Turkish authorities have waited until now to
change the names. It was also not clear if the name changes would be
internationally recognized.