ANKARA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The declining number of travelers to Turkey's southern golden beaches is a misfortune for the nation's economy, but a relief for the loggerhead sea turtles.
Loggerhead turtles are an endangered species which use Turkey's Western Mediterranean coast as one of their main nesting areas, laying their eggs there, before returning to the sea.
The shores and the sea are cleaner and safer today as the global health crisis has prevented millions of tourists from traveling to Turkey this year, much to the satisfaction of these marine creatures who are able to lay their eggs in peace on mostly empty beaches.
Animal activists are happy that these protected creatures can breed freely, as each year during the hatching season, dozens of animal lovers and activists flock to the nesting grounds to protect the babies from humans.
Artificial lights from hotels or other touristic establishments are very dangerous to the hatchlings and may disorient them and ultimately cause their deaths.
Hatchlings orient themselves towards the sea by making use of the brightness of the horizon and the reflection of the moon on the water's surface.
Ecological Research Association (EKAD) President and Hacettepe University biology instructor Ali Fuat Canbolat said the tourism season opened late this year, in early July, because of the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown restrictions.
"As 95 percent of hotels were closed in the southern provinces, the loggerhead sea turtles were not disturbed by artificial lights. They prefer not to lay their eggs where the lights are too bright," he told Xinhua.
This year, his association detected some 3,000 nesting grounds, a record number, on the beaches of Belek district of Antalya province, which has dozens of luxurious hotels.
"The previous highest number was around 2,600 in 2016, so we can say that the turtles were a bit more comfortable this year," said the specialist, indicating that the turtles lay eggs every three to four years.
"They don't lay eggs every year; when they do, they may nest three to four times a season," Canbolat pointed out.
The loggerhead sea turtles are migratory and spend the winter not only in the Aegean Sea, but also in other seas, such as the Adriatic.
Several associations including EKAD are trying for many years to increase awareness for this endangered species and they have generally succeeded, explained Canbolat.
Yet, he insisted, local administrations still have a long way to go as they sometimes consider the presence of the turtles as a "nuisance" to development projects.
Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan made an appearance last week on an Antalya beach in Kas district with government ministers to release injured turtles back to the sea.
The turtles had received treatment for their injuries inflicted by boat propellers.
"The turtles are one of the oldest inhabitants on the earth, unfortunately, they face the danger of extinction. We need to help their survival because they are essential for the ecosystem," she said on the occasion, semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.
The turtles were fitted with tracking chips so scientists can monitor their journey and the dangers they encounter.
"Only a few out of a thousand hatchlings survive to become an adult and that takes up to 15 years at least, so this animal is a feat of nature that should be protected," she added. Enditem
