Dilek Peninsula – Büyük Menderes Delta National Park Some part of Dilek Peninsula – Büyük Menderes Delta National Park is the within the boundaries of our district. It covers the peninsula, at the end of Mount Dilek spreading towards the Aegean Sea and approximately 20 km long and 6 km wide, and Büyük Menderes Delta. Dilek Peninsula part of the national park is the end of the Samsun Mountains spreading to the Aegean Sea. There are a lot of hills, canyons, valleys and coves within the peninsula.The highest point of the peninsula, of which average height is 650m, is Dilek Hill ,1237m high. In addidion, it has interesting coastline with its beaches having sandy,clayey,sloping and high shores. The most important water source of Büyük Menderes Delta, adjacent to the south of the peninsula, is the Büyük Menderes River, 584 km long. It is a important wetland with a few lagoons, salty marshes, muddy plains. This area is world-renowned for its biological diversity , endangered and endemic species, In addition, it is an important natural area because of being an important habitat for birds , plants and mammals. Because both Dilek Peninsula and Büyük Menderes Delta National Park have different and various physical features,its flora is biologically diverse in short distances.It hosts 804 distinct species of plants, six are endemic – completely exclusive to the park area. It hosts 18 distinct species of plants which are endemic to Turkey. It is home to almost all of the liveliest and healtiest species of Mediterranean maquis shrubs. The peninsula is like a unique natural museum where all species of plants living between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea can be observed. Because of its unique biological diversity, Dilek Peninsula is recognised as Biogenetic Reserve by The Council of Europe . It means it is internationally recognised as an international reserve for endangered species and species with rare genetic diversity. Animals such as Anatolian leopards wild boars, badgers, jackals, martens, wolves, foxes, Eurasian lynxes , rock eagles, sea eagles, lizards, turtles, falcons, buteos seagulls, common blackbirds, partridges, doves, wild cows, wild horses, wild cats, hares,otters, Eurasian woodcocks, kestrels, wild ducks and Casbian terns can be spotted within the peninsula.