Akyatan sea turtle conservation program reaches 21-year milestone

The Green Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Program in Akyatan, Adana, has completed its 21st season. A joint initiative by WWF-Türkiye and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Nature Conservation and National Parks Directorate, the program has protected approximately 8,200 nests since 2006, allowing roughly 283,000 hatchlings to reach the sea.

To track migration patterns, satellite devices were attached to 19 female turtles. Data from these devices indicated that the females spent the winter along the coasts of North Africa. Over the course of the 21-year program, more than 500 volunteers have participated in field operations.

The Akyatan Wildlife Development Area and its lagoon have been recognized for their international importance under the Ramsar Convention since 1998. To support ongoing wildlife conservation efforts, WWF-Türkiye is relaunching its charity run during the 48th Istanbul Marathon on November 1, aiming to raise funds for endangered species and their habitats.