[REVISION HISTORY]

Mediterranean sea turtle and seal protection

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2026-10-14 21:00 UTC → 2026-10-30 06:58 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Protection measures for Mediterranean marine turtles have intensified throughout the region. Since May 2026, Turkish authorities have designated a coastal cave in Kemer as a protected breeding site for the endangered Mediterranean seal and imposed night-time bans on 21 beaches across Antalya, Muğla, Mersin, Adana, and Hatay to guard nesting sea turtles. In Antalya, conservation efforts led by Dr. Ali Fuat Canbolat of Hacettepe University and the Ecological Research Association (EKAD) have seen significant progress. In the Belek region, EKAD reported that 2,600 nests were recorded along a 30-kilometer coastline, resulting in more than 100,000 hatchlings reaching the sea. This long-term project has now facilitated the release of over 1.5 million turtles in the area. In Çıralı, the Ulupınar Çevre Koruma Geliştirme ve İşletme Kooperatifi and the Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks concluded their 2026 studies after identifying 117 nests, from which 3,458 live hatchlings reached the sea. By late September 2026, the nesting season concluded in several key regions. In Mersin, approximately 100,000 hatchlings reached the Mediterranean from five major ~~sites.~~ sites, including Davultepe, where researchers noted that about 90 percent of nests belonged to green sea turtles. In the Aydın province, conservationists monitored 21 nesting sites across Kuşadası and ~~Didim.~~ Didim, with 1,110 Caretta caretta hatchlings successfully reaching the sea by the end of the season. However, environmental threats persist. Kumköy beach in Antalya, a ‘Qualified Natural Protection Area’ and critical nesting site for the endangered caretta caretta, has faced renewed pollution. Observers reported significant accumulations of plastic, glass, cigarette butts, and food scraps. The presence of charred wood from fires and a lack of trash bins have further compromised the ecosystem in areas where turtles lay their eggs.

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