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5 SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AREAS:

BABY TURTLES MAKE

THEIR WAY TO THE SEA

The General Directorate of Nature Conservation (TVK), under the Ministry of
Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, has reported that endangered
baby sea turtles have successfully reached the sea at five beaches within the Special
Environmental Protection Areas of Köyceğiz-Dalyan, Fethiye-Göcek, Patara, Belek,
and the Göksu Delta. In 2025, a total of 40,285 hatchlings emerged from 3,853 nests
Minister Kurum:“
across these five protected beaches and made their way safely to the sea.

760 Caretta

Nests

Identified

Sea Turtles

Under Our at Iztuzu to
Ongoing Protection Efforts
Protection Ongoing Protection Efforts
Since 1989
Environment, Urbanization, Date Since 1989
and Climate Change Minister T
Türkiye has been actively protecting sea turtles, which are ürkiye has been actively protecting sea turtles, which are
Murat Kurum shared images Highlighting the significance of Iztuzu Beach, which was named t threatened with extinction, since 1989. Two of the eight hreatened with extinction, since 1989. Two of the eight
from Iztuzu Beach on his social s sea turtle species worldwide, including the Nile turtle, lay ea turtle species worldwide, including the Nile turtle, lay
media account, stating: Europe’s best open space by The Times magazine in 2008, a TVK
t
official noted: their eggs on Türkiye’s Mediterranean beaches. The General heir eggs on Türkiye’s Mediterranean beaches. The General
Dir
"Sea turtles, which are threat- Directorate of TVK monitors female turtles as they come ectorate of TVK monitors female turtles as they come
ened with extinction, are under "As the General Directorate for the Protection of Natural Resources, a ashore and oversees hatchling nesting areas each May. Prior shore and oversees hatchling nesting areas each May. Prior
“
t
our protection. We are taking ev- we ensure that all hatchlings reach the sea safely and that the species to hatching, nests are safeguarded from human and wildlife o hatching, nests are safeguarded from human and wildlife
interference using protective cage systems. After a 60-day terference using protective cage systems. After a 60-day
ery measure to ensure that every continues to thrive. Every year, from early May to late September, we in
incubation period, hatchlings continue to emerge from the cubation period, hatchlings continue to emerge from the
sea turtle hatching from its egg implement protective measures for sea turtles. To date, approximately in
nests until the end of September, ensuring the continuation ests until the end of September, ensuring the continuation
reaches the sea safely. This year, 760 loggerhead turtle nests have been recorded on Iztuzu Beach, yield- n
of these endangered species.f these endangered species.
we have successfully returned ing over 4,500 hatchlings so far. This number will continue to rise until o
40,285 baby turtles to the sea." the end of September."

17.09.2025 14:17
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