The nesting beaches of Turkey

it is estimated that there are 1360-2710 Caretta caretta nests and 700-1150 Chelonia mydas nests on Turkish beaches (with a total length of 178.4 km.) in annually. Using the assumption that each female nests an average of 3 times in a season every 2-3 years (Groombridge, 1990), this means that approximately 453-903 Caretta caretta and 233-383 Chelonia mydas nest annually on the beaches of Turkey. According to Groombridge's 1990 estimate, at least 25-50 % of the loggerhead and up to 70 % of the green turtles in the Mediterranean could nest on the beaches of Turkey. The protection of these beaches is critical to survival of these species in the Mediterranean.

Table 1. The major nesting areas of the sea turtles in Turkey

and their nestin potential and threats to the population.

Nesting Area	Beach Length (km)	Number of nests per season C.caretta C. mydas		Main Threats to the population
Dalyan	4.5	150-400		Tourism, fox predation
Dalaman	7	70-150		Tourism, paper factory, sand extraction, photopollution
Fethiye	8	100-200		Tourism, sand extaction, photopollution
Patara	12	70-150		Tourism, sand erosion
Kale	2	30-50		Sand extraction, Lagoon fisheries
Kumluca	20	150-250	3	Tourism, sand extraction
Belek	30	250-600		Tourism, sand extraction, photopollution
Kizilot	16	100-250	3	Tourism, sand extraction
Gazipaşa	2	20-50		Tourism, agriculture
Anamur	8	80-200		Tourism, sand extraction, photopollution
Göksu Delta	10	50-100	50-100	Tourism, paper factory, Lagoon fisheries
Kazanlı	4	10-30	250-400	Soda-chrome factory, agriculture, settlement
Akyatan	10		150-300	Sand erosion, pollution
Samandağ	6		150-250	Sand erosion, sand extraction, pollution
TOTAL (Major Beaches)	139.5	1080-2430	600-1050
Ekincik	0.9	20		Tourism
Demirtaş	7	40		Photopollution
Çıralı	3	40		Tourism
Tekirova	3	30		Tourism
Small beaches	25	150	100
TOTAL (Small Beaches)	38.9	280	100
TOTAL	178.4	1360-2710	700-1150