Every two to three years, female loggerheads return to the exact beach where they were born to lay eggs - about 80 to 100 - by sensing the earth’s magnetic field. Loggerheads spend several years in migration at sea. Named for its powerful jaws and large head which allow it to crush the shells of its crustacean and other shelled prey, loggerhead sea turtles are the most common of three sea turtle species found in the Mediterranean region. Some sporadic nesting has been observed as far as Spain, according to Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles (MEDASSET). ![]() Since the 1980s, Turkey has been stepping up its sea turtle conservation efforts and monitoring studies for sea turtle species like loggerhead sea turtles, for which Turkey’s southern and southwestern coasts have been some of the most important nesting areas for centuries.Īlso known as Caretta Caretta, the marine reptiles mainly nest in Turkey, Greece, Libya, and Cyprus, with smaller numbers in Tunisia, Italy, and other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. Today, six of the seven sea turtle species are classified as either endangered or threatened. ![]() Sea turtles are among the oldest inhabitants of earth, having roamed the oceans since the time of dinosaurs over 100 million years ago.Įven though sea turtles face natural predators, human activities, including hunting, pollution, fishing, habitat destruction, and anthropogenic climate change over the past two centuries has threatened the existence of these ancient seafarers. The tourism lull and reductions in human activities have been a blessing for loggerhead sea turtles, ancient seafarers who have nested in Turkey’s coasts for centuries.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |