Signal from caretta 'Tuba' lost

ANTALYA

The Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (DEKAMER) in Dalyan in the western province of MUĞLA has lost signal from Caretta Caretta named Tuba, on which a satellite tracking device was installed before releasing it into the sea on Aug. 28, 2019.

Tuba, whose number of followers exceeds 9 million, is expected to return to Dalyan this summer and make a nest.

DEKAMER, located at Dalyan İztuzu Beach, follows the life of Caretta caretta and green sea turtles, which are on the red list of endangered species of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), by installing satellite tracking devices on them.

Around 60 sea turtles, including the turtle named Tuba, which attracted public attention when it was released into the sea in 2019, have been monitored by the center. Since 2019, satellite tracking devices have been attached to around 20 sea turtles with the support of the Environment and Urbanization Ministry. In total, the signals of 22 out of 26 turtles were lost at different times.

Stating that Tuba, a female loggerhead Caretta caretta aged 25-30, was released into its natural habitat from İztuzu beach on Aug. 28, 2019, DEKAMER President Professor Yakup Kaska said that the signal of Tuba, which is the longest-tracked animal in the Mediterranean, was cut off as the battery of the device died.

Stating that the number of Tuba’s followers exceeded 9 million on the map where it sends its signals and its route can be followed, Kaska said that Tuba has made a great contribution to the promotional activities of both DEKAMER and Türkiye in this respect.

“We expect the longest-tracked animal of the Mediterranean to return to Dalyan beach to nest this summer. Her device is on her back and we can recognize her by her earring number," he said.

Kaska explained that thanks to satellite monitoring projects, they know Türkiye's beaches in the Mediterranean very well and that they obtained important data about where these turtles spend the winter.

"We have monitored around 60 turtles in recent years. We continue our work on important sea turtle areas in the Mediterranean," he added.

Signals from four turtles

Doğan Sözbilen, lecturer at Pamukkale University and vice president of DEKAMER, said that signals from four of the 26 sea turtles that have been monitored since 2019 continued to be received, and the signals from 22 were lost.

The turtles whose signals are still being received are Güzel İzmir, Alice, Lansinoh and Benan, Sözbilen added.

“Tuba was monitored at record levels. One of the lost turtles, Likya, which was monitored for a long time, went to Tunisia. Lansinoh is in Bodrum Gülük bay. Güzel İzmir advanced towards the mid-Aegean on the Greek islands. We wonder if it will go north or continue west through Greece. Alice did not leave the Dalyan region. After staying in Dalaman for a long time, Benan is currently in Kaş and has not left Türkiye,” Sözbilen said.

Stating that Tuba's signal was cut off in September 2023, Sözbilen said, “While normally it was expected for around a year, we monitored it for over four years, which was a record time. Tuba traveled around 24,000 kilometers during this period. After staying in Marmaris for a while, she went to the Greek islands, then to the south of Greece, spent the winter in Malta, and then lived on the Italian coast and the Adriatic Sea for a long time. She also visited the coasts of Croatia and Albania. We expected it to come in 2023, but it did not come. We are waiting for her in 2024. We plan to install a new device.”