Erciş

Locals and tourists have thronged around "Deli Çay," roughly translated as the "Crazy Stream," in the eastern province of Van's Erciş district to see pearl mullets' migration.

Pearl mullets can live in the salty waters of Turkey's largest Lake Van, leave their habitats at the beginning of April and migrate to streams to reproduce.

A traditional Kyrgyz horse game commonly likened to polo continues to be played in eastern Turkey.

Kök Börü is a synthesis of traditional practices, performances and the game itself.

It is played by two teams on horseback where players try to maneuver a goat's carcass or goat fur and score by putting it into the opponent's goal.

Flamingos, who usually nest at the reeds in eastern Van province's Erciş district, started to stay at the open areas of Lake Van, located some 3 kilometers from their previous destination, after water levels decreased due to drought. (DHA Photo)

A Turkish court has given controversial sentences to the ones responsible for a building that collapsed and killed 10 residents after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake that hit the eastern province of Van in 2011.

Turkey's Lake Van basin, which is home to many different bird species, hosts whooper swans from Siberia and northern regions as the weather gets colder.

The basin, which hosts hundreds of bird species with its wide reeds and wetlands, is filled with flamingos in the summer and whooper swans in the winter.

A plan to open grid-planned ancient city ruins in the eastern Van province's Erciş district to tourism has been prepared. (AA Photo)

Turkish security forces confiscated three kilograms (about 6.61 pounds) of two gold bars on Feb. 14 that dates to the ancient Hittite-Urartu civilizations, in eastern Van province.

Gendarmerie forces searched an intercity bus in the Erciş district as part of historical artifact smuggling operations.

The gold was seized in a passenger's bag on the bus.