Balıkesir, Dec 24 () - A team of rangers, founded in a bid to protect olive trees from thieves as well as maintain order and safety during harvest season, works 24 hours in Aegean town of Ayvalık in Balıkesir province. Some 35 rangers guard olives for their lives, in their special uniforms.

The “special team” protects around two million olive trees in a 20,000-hectare-large area, led by Ayvalık Farm Goods Protection Directorate, chasing their shepherds and goats.

The cadre has been operating since 1941 and has achieved to make a great progress, said head of the directorate, Suat Kaçak.

“We care about our producers and we work to protect all the planted lands from bad intentioned people” Kaçak said. The salaries are paid by producers rather than the state, chief of the team, Ahmet Omak said.

(Photo)