Watch: Turkish Footballer Performs CPR On Injured Seagull, Saves Bird's Life

Turkish footballer Gani Catan saved a seagull's life by performing CPR during a match between Istanbul Yurdum Spor and Mevlanakapi Guzelhisar in the Istanbul First Amateur League playoff final. Video of the heartwarming incident went viral on social media, with users praising the player for his kind gesture. "It was a reflex reaction," he told the local media.

"Something was falling, and I realised it was a seagull. The first thing that came to my mind was heart massage, because it couldn't breathe, so I tried my luck," he told state news agency Anadolu.

The incident happened during an amateur playoff match in Istanbul on February 22 when a low-flying seagull was struck mid-air by goalkeeper Muhammet Uyanik.

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Watch the video here:

Fair-play ve insani sorumluluğun sahadaki en güzel yansıması oldu.

Müsabaka sırasında sergilediği duyarlı ve örnek davranış dolayısıyla sporcumuz, kulüp kaptanımız Gani Çatan'ı tebrik ediyoruz.💐

pic.twitter.com/OpPbVpRncK

— İstanbul Gençlik ve Spor İl Müdürlüğü (@GSB_Istanbul) February 23, 2026

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After the impact, the bird dropped onto the pitch. Catan, who is the captain of the team, immediately rushed over and saw that it wasn't breathing.

He then used first-aid training to perform chest compressions, carefully for nearly two minutes. The seagull responded, showing movement, and Catan handed it over to the medical staff.

"Muhammet hit the seagull!" Onur Ozsoy, the match commentator, said during the match, referring to the goalie. "They're doing chest compressions on the seagull right now, This is a moment rarely seen in football history. The seagull is being carried off; he's been taken to the sidelines with the medical bag where his treatment will continue."

According to reports, the bird had a damaged wing but survived. "We missed the championship, but saving a life was more important," said Catan, downplaying the team's loss.