Belek, Turkey witnesses first 2026 sea turtle hatchlings

On July 11, 2026 the Mediterranean's largest sea‑turtle nesting beach at Belek, Turkey, saw its first hatchlings emerge after the first nest was recorded on May 12. The hatchlings belong to the endangered loggerhead (*Caretta caretta*) species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The release is part of a conservation project run by the Ecological Research Association (EKAD) with support from Turkey's General Directorate of Nature Conservation and the Belek Tourism Investors Association. Since the programme began in 1994, more than 1.5 million hatchlings have been guided to sea and 1 800 nests have been documented on the 29.5‑km shoreline.

Project officials noted that cooler spring temperatures slowed the season this year, but expect nest numbers and hatchling releases to rise as temperatures increase. Visitors were urged to minimise artificial lighting and avoid disturbing the nests during the critical emergence period, with monitoring to continue through the end of the season.