Baby Caretta Carettas Reach Sea After a Hard Journey

* Photographs: Süleyman Elçin - Antalya/AA

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On their journey towards the Mediterranean Sea in the Çıralı beach in Antalya, baby caretta carettas are also accompanied by tourists.

Leaving their nests in the beach in Kemer, baby caretta carettas, also known as loggerhead sea turtles, have started to reach the sea. The difficult journey of the turtles is also photographed by tourists.

While one baby turtle which left one of the two nests that were opened earlier today (July 24) could reach the sea, it has been stated that 85 baby caretta carettas also reached the sea at midnight.

Kemer District Governor Hüseyin Karameşe has also indicated that mother turtles started to lay their eggs on the 3.5-kilometer Çıralı beach around two months ago and there are currently 83 nests on the beach.

"Baby turtles have started to leave five of these nests. We have opened two of our nests today. There were around 100 eggs in each nest", District Governor Karameşe has indicated further and added that 35 turtles from the first nest and 50 turtles from the second nest have reached the sea so far. He has also stated that some baby caretta carettas have lost their lives as a result of cold and rainy weather conditions.

Expressing their hope that there will be 100 nests on Çıralı beach this year, Karameşe has said, "No one comes to the beach after 9 in the evening. Carettas are not bothered in any way. And our attendants detect the nests at night till the sun rises and follow the ones that leave their nests. The nests are marked, dated and controlled when the time comes."

Ulupınar Village head Habib Altınkaya has also indicated that there is a decrease in the number of nests and baby caretta carettas when compared with last year. Referring to weather conditions as the cause of this decrease, Altınkaya has also said that thanks to their protection works, 10 nests have formed in Olimpos and added that the baby turtles in these nests will also reach the sea soon. (AÖ/SD)

* Source: AA