Bird Biologist Abandoned by Guide Near Summit of Ararat - Cagan Sekercioglu

National Geographic grantee and Turkish biologist Cagan Sekercioglu has been working to preserve the wetlands along that country's Aras River. Turkey's government has been discussing a plan to divert the water to support agriculture, flooding a swath of land that is home to 1,800 people, and disrupting one of the largest bird migration routes between Europe and North Africa. When he's not campaigning to save Turkey's wetlands, Sekercioglu has been known to attempt to summit the 16,854 foot Mount Ararat; his last attempt had him abandoned near the summit by a sick 15 year-old mountain guide.