The aim of this study was to research the morphology and to make ready a hair identification key for common mammals in Turkey and also to make up a comprehensive method for the preparation of hair identification key for Turkey's mammals. Despite the wide application of this technique in the determination of diet composition in large carnivores, it has not been used in Turkey up to this point, thus this paper is the first study and an appropriate guide for using this technique in ecological studies and management of many species and populations in Turkey. In this research, hair structures of eighteen species representing four mammalian orders including Artiodactyla such as wild goat, chamois, red deer; Carnivora such as leopard, eurasian lynx, gray wolf, brown bear; Lagomorpha and Rodentia were investigated. The studied large carnivore species constitute the main predator species and the others are important prey sources. The microscopic structure of the hair was studied using the hair medulla and cuticle scale patterns. Afterwards, the structural features of hair for each species were comparatively used in order to prepare a descriptive and photographic hair identification key.

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This study aims to document the existence and habitat preferences of the Anatolian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana Valenciennes, 1856) in north-eastern Anatolia, Turkey. We sampled eleven study areas in 2013–2017, primarily based on our previous field experiences, reports from local people, and literature. Based on the findings from initial surveys, camera traps and leopard studies were mostly used in parts of the Giresun (Sarıçiçek Mountain), Erzincan (Sansa Strait), and Bingöl (Yedisu Valley) Provinces. We employed both direct observations and indirect observations. A total of 58 observations were recorded, ranging from 1176–3050 meters in altitude: six camera trap pictures, three thermal video camera images, three sightings by local people, 28 sets of tracks, 13 pieces of scat, two ground-scrapings, and three tree-scratches belonging to the Anatolian leopard. We defined eight habitat types and found that leopards preferred sparse forest areas, rocky habitats, and agriculture and pasture regions the most. Furthermore, 49 of 58 observations made in the sampling areas were detected in the southerly aspects of the study region. The Anatolian leopard habitat selection is mainly based on prey abundance, and we found that leopards prefer wild boar (Sus scrofa) the most, followed by wild goat (Capra aegagrus), chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).

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