Sea turtle hatchlings reach the sea in Aydın, Turkey

The 2026 sea turtle nesting season has concluded along the Aydın coastline in Turkey, where 1,110 Caretta caretta hatchlings successfully reached the sea. These hatchlings emerged from 21 nests in Kuşadası and Didim, as well as one nest in Urla Zeytineli, İzmir.

One notable success involved a nest on Kuşadası İlkevler beach. Because the nest was located too close to the water, the eggs were at risk of being submerged in mud and water-saturated sand. Following expert advice from Professor Oğuz Türkozan of Adnan Menderes University, the eggs were carefully relocated to a safer, prepared nest while maintaining their original orientation. Despite a prolonged incubation period due to climate conditions and the late nesting, 18 healthy hatchlings successfully emerged from this relocated nest.

The conservation efforts were a collaborative effort between the Ecosystem Protection and Nature Lovers Association (EKODOSD), the Aydın Branch Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, local municipalities, and nature volunteers.