Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program

Endangered loggerhead sea turtles, known as Caretta caretta, have laid their first nest of the season on İztuzu Beach, a popular nesting ground in Muğla's Ortaca district.

These turtles migrate to the Aegean coast for five months each year, using the beach for nesting, incubation and mating.

The 2023 nesting season for Caretta carettas has come to a close at Çıralı Beach in the southern province of Antalya, one of the country's most significant nesting sites, with a total of 120 nests and over 5,000 baby loggerheads embarking on their journey to the sea.

The endangered baby caretta caretta and green turtles reached the sea in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

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The world-famous İztuzu beach in the Ortaca district of Muğla is experiencing one of its quietest days ever due to the coronavirus lockdown, as its natural inhabitants, the Caretta caretta loggerhead sea turtles, are beginning to lay their eggs.

The world-famous beaches of Antalya, the home of endangered caretta carettas, fell silent this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. As the weather gets warmer, the sea turtles are expected to go to the beach to lay eggs in adult nesting areas later this month.

Some 115,000 baby caretta caretta (loggerhead) sea turtles made it to the sea in Turkey this summer, according to a report released by the Environment Ministry.

Some 1,400 baby turtles have reached the sea this year so far at the Çıralı beach, which is an important nesting area for the endangered caretta caretta species.

Fifty nests of endangered loggerhead sea turtles, also known as caretta caretta, have been destroyed by construction equipment in the district of Serik in the Mediterranean province of Antalya.

A caretta caretta, which was treated in Istanbul after it had been found off the Gökçeada Island in the northwestern province of Çanakkale, has been released back to the sea. 

Endangered caretta caretta sea turtles have started laying eggs early this year.