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Turtle
Watch in North Cyprus
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| For about one
hundred million years, our waters have been visited by the Green(Chelonia
Mydas) and the Loggerhead(Caretta Caretta) Turtles. The Green Turtle
only nests in Cyprus, southeast Turkey and sometimes Israel, you
are all invited to come and observe this while holidaying on our
beautiful island. |
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Since 1992
the Marine Turtle Research Group, in conjunction with the Society
for the Protection of Turtles in North Cyprus
and the Department for the Environmental Protection, has been
undertaking an annual survey, of recording the Turtles egg laying
and hatchlings activity during the summer months.
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| In
the company of the team at Alagadi Beach (20 minutes drive from
Girne)you to can share in this unique event. Just before sunset
you can join the students, and witness this one hundred million
year old wonder as the female Turtles begin to lay their eggs, if
you are lucky you might be able to observe this happening several
times in the same evening. The best time to observe the egg laying
is the end of June and the beginning of July. |
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The
eggs will fertilize in the nests for about 50 days after which you
are invited again to come down to the beach to watch the hatchlings
emerge from their sandy nests. The hatchling numbering up to 100
per nest and no bigger than 6-7 cm in size fight their way from
the nest to the relative safety of the sea, for only one in a thousand
will ever make it to adulthood. |
| The best time to
observe the hatchlings is at the end of August and the beginning
of September. Even less would survive
if it was not for the special conservation project taking place
here in North Cyprus. We feel its our responsibility to help
these creatures to survive and to be able to continue without threat
to their nesting grounds. This has been their home longer than it
has been ours. |
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