A HAVEN FOR ENDANGERED
SEA TURTLES
AN IMPORTANT MEDITERRANEAN NESTING GROUND
Cyprus is one of the most important Mediterranean nesting grounds for endangered Green and Loggerhead sea turtles. The island provides several secluded beaches that, in turn, provide vital nesting grounds for these gentle creatures. The turtles return year after year to lay their eggs, often on the same beaches where they were born. The incredible journey of their hatchlings, struggling to make their way to the sea, has become a symbol of nature’s wonder and resilience across the island.
TWO REMARKABLE SPECIES
The island’s sandy shores welcome back two very remarkable species of turtle every summer. The Loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, and the Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, travel thousands of kilometres throughout the year, but always return to the same nesting grounds every summer to lay their eggs. Classified as endangered, the protection of both of these species of sea turtle has become crucial, and several efforts to safeguard their survival include several island-wide conservation programs.
CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Several initiatives are in place to help protect the turtle’s nesting areas in key locations across the island. These efforts include protecting nesting sites, monitoring hatchlings, and raising public awareness. In light of this, Cyprus has become a beacon of hope for sea turtle conservation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Conservation areas include Lara Bay and the greater Akamas Peninsula in the Paphos district. The Green Bay area near Protaras, in the Famagusta district, is also monitored. The Akrotiri and Episkopi Bays in the Limassol district are also heavily protected by military conservation volunteers and local environmental teams.
VEIWING THE TURTLES
Night watches during the nesting season, which spans from late May to mid-September, can be arranged along with views at a distance of the hatchlings emerging from late July through early September. Eco-friendly snorkelling trips, where marine specialists provide up-close, respectful encounters with turtles, can also be arranged. Boat tours also sometimes reveal sightings of the turtles in the sea.
