Sea turtles lay eggs early this year

ANTALYA

Endangered caretta caretta sea turtles have started laying eggs early this year. 

Mostly seen in Patara, Çıralı and Belek beaches in the southern province of Antalya, caretta carettas laid their eggs for the first time on April 29 this year in Çıralı. They generally start spawning after May 15, officials said, adding that it shows that more caretta carettas will arrive in Antalya’s beaches this year. 

Professor Mehmet Öz, an Akdeniz University biology department academic, said the beaches served people during the day and turtles at night, when they leave their eggs. 

He said that after 8 p.m. sunbeds should be taken 40 meters away from the coast to make the environment ready for the turtles, adding: “Sometimes people dig the turtles’ nests and play with the eggs. This should be prevented. Facility managers should warn beachgoers.” 

Öz said baby turtles try to reach the sea after a 55-day incubation process, urging people to me more careful during this period. 

“They try to reach the sea by following the direction of its sparkle. But when they see light around, they go to it. When they spend too much energy, they die. For this reason artificial lights at night should be prevented with a curtain. Some people who want to help sometimes put the turtles into the sea. But this is wrong, because the animal crawls in the sand, scattering the smell of the egg to the sea. And if it is put into the sea by hand, fishes come to the smell of the egg and kill the turtle,” he said.