Filenews 29 May 2025
Sea turtles started building their nests and laying their eggs on the beaches of our island this month, with the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (PHTH) stressing the need for their protection.
As the Officer of the Department, Maria Christou, told CNA, there are two species of sea turtles in Cyprus, the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) that swim in the waters, but go out to beaches to lay their eggs.
Mrs. Christou said that each turtle nest can contain about 80-100 eggs and pointed out the importance of protecting the animals themselves, their eggs, as well as their habitats for their survival
The dangers they face are so many that only 1 in 1,000 turtles will be able to survive and reach adulthood, he added, adding that this is due both to natural factors, such as predation by foxes, crabs, fish and birds, but also to human activities, which threaten sea turtle populations.
Some of the threats they face, he said, are nest disturbance/destruction, marine pollution, light pollution, beach erosion and climate change.
Mrs. Christou said that since 1978 the IMF has been implementing the "Sea Turtle Protection and Monitoring Program". Through the program, he said, the nests are protected from foxes and other threats with special aluminium cages and signs are placed next to the cages, warning the public not to disturb the nests.
He continued, the nests are also monitored for incidents of disturbance, predation, as well as an assessment of their sex and hatchability. The program, he continued, covers the nesting beaches in the protected areas of Lara-Toxeftra and Polis-Gialia, as well as other areas where there is sporadic nesting.
These two areas are, said Mrs. Christou, the most important habitats for sea turtles in Cyprus and are protected under the Fisheries Law and the relevant Regulations and are included in the NATURA 2000 Network.
In 2013, the area of Lara-Toxeftra was included, as he said, in the List of Special Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs), in the framework of the Barcelona Protocol for the Specially Protected Areas and Biodiversity of the Mediterranean, since it is recognized that it contributes significantly to the conservation status of these two species at the Mediterranean level.
At the same time, with the turtle protection program, protected areas are monitored for the implementation of the legislation, as well as information is provided to the public about these species, the threats they face, their protection actions and their habitats.
In addition, the Cyprus Marine Aquaculture Research Centre (EKTHYK) of the Hellenic Marine Aquaculture Research Centre in Meneou also operates as a rescue and first aid centre for sea turtles, giving a second chance at life to injured and sick sea turtles, he concluded.
