The Department of Zoology, within the Faculty of Science at Mersin University, was established in 1994 alongside the foundation of the Department of Biology. The department offers courses on the morphology, systematics, physiology, ecology, and evolution of animal organisms at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Within this framework, students gain knowledge and skills to understand the structural and functional diversity of living organisms, comprehend their ecological roles, and evaluate evolutionary relationships among species.

Faculty members of the Department of Zoology contribute to the advancement of universal scientific knowledge through numerous national and international research projects and thesis studies conducted in Turkey and abroad. Research topics include faunal diversity, conservation biology, animal ecology, species systematics, and phylogenetic relationships, all of which play an essential role in the identification and preservation of regional biodiversity.

The department hosts several research laboratories — Entomology, Molecular Taxonomy, Genetics, and Systematic Zoology Laboratories — that provide students with hands-on research experience. Students actively participate in scientific projects in these laboratories, thereby developing their professional knowledge, skills, and analytical thinking abilities.