* Photographs: Süleyman Elçin - Antalya / AA
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The baby loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta Caretta) have come out of their nests in the Çıralı beach in Kemer, Antalya and reached the sea.
The Governor of Antalya Münir Karaloğlu, Bayram Kütle from the Ulupınar Environmental Protection, Improvement and Management Cooperative as well as a number of volunteers and tourists watched the walk of baby Caretta Carettas, who hatched and started their journey towards the Mediterranean Sea around 6 a.m. today (August 15).
Sea turtles have been laying their eggs in the beach since the end of April and their babies have been leaving their nests and reaching the sea since mid-July. The walk of baby Caretta Carettas towards the sea will continue until the end of September.
Over the last years, the number of Caretta Caretta nests dropped to almost 70 due to the visitors entering the Çıralı beach and the lighting in the vicinity. This year, thanks to the measures that have recently been taken, the number of nests has increased to 150.
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Underlining the importance of the protection provided by local community to baby sea turtles, the Governor of Antalya Karaloğlu said,
"Baby turtles that came into life in this beach return here years later to leave their eggs. We will, of course, use these beaches but there are also other creatures which have the right to life as much as we do. We will respect their right to life as well. Everyone coming to Antalya for holiday should be well aware of the existence of Caretta Carettas in this season. Everyone should know that these beaches are also used by other creatures."
Sea Turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around 90 cm (35 in) long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to 280 cm (110 in) have been discovered. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately 135 kg (298 lb), with the largest specimens weighing in at more than 450 kg (1,000 lb). The loggerhead sea turtle is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. It spends most of its life in saltwater and estuarine habitats, with females briefly coming ashore to lay eggs. The loggerhead sea turtle has a low reproductive rate; females lay an average of four egg clutches and then become quiescent, producing no eggs for two to three years. The loggerhead reaches sexual maturity within 17–33 years and has a lifespan of 47–67 years Nesting fields in Turkey: Ekincik, Dalyan, Dalaman, Fethiye (Muğla), Patara, Kale, Kumluca, Çıralı, Tekirova, Belek, Kızılot, Demirtaş, Gazipaşa (Antalya), Anamur, Göksu Deltası, Alata, Kazanlı, Davultepe (Mersin), Akyatan, Yumurtalık (Adana) and Samandağ (Hatay). Source: Wikipedia |
(ÇT/SD)
