Didim sea turtle hatchlings reach the sea

In the Didim district of Aydın, Turkey, 82 sea turtle hatchlings successfully reached the sea from a nest containing 88 eggs. This event marks the completion of the final nest of the season in Didim, where the total number of hatchlings reaching the sea this year has reached 476.

The nest, located among sun loungers on a hotel beach, was monitored by teams from the Aydın Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, the Didim Municipality Veterinary Affairs Directorate, and hotel management. Due to the coarse and compact nature of the added beach sand, some hatchlings were unable to reach the surface on their own and were manually assisted by teams to ensure they reached the water.

In recognition of the efforts to protect the nesting site, EKODOSD awarded hotel owner Kadir Karakaya a ‘Caretta Friend’ certificate. A total of 19 nests were recorded in the Aydın region this year, with the season expected to conclude once the final hatchlings from Kuşadası reach the sea.