1. wo species of turtles nest in Cyprus, the They live for more than 60 years. Turtles and lights: Turtle
T Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the
Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta). Both
Loggerhead turtles feed on jellyfish
and on a variety of bottom living
hatchlings are attracted to light.
Their instinct tells them that the
species are threatened by extinction in the animals. Green turtles are herbivorous lightest part on the horizon is the
Mediterranean. In this sea the Green Turtle and feed on sea-grasses. Turtles have way to the sea. If there are
nowadays nests almost exclusively in Cyprus no ears but are sensitive to certain artificial lights near the beach the
and Turkey. Loggerheads nest also in Greece sound frequencies. They have good hatchlings will be disorientated
and in small numbers in several other eyesight. and will go towards these lights
countries in the eastern Mediterranean. It instead of going to the sea. If they
is estimated that the current Reproduction: Green turtles do not reach the sea quickly they
Green Turtle mature when they are 25-30 years old
nesting population in the Mediter- Green hutchling (white belly) and loggerhead (all black) Tagging a Green Turtle
will fall prey to foxes or if they
ranean is about 500-600 female and Loggerheads when they are about
stay on land during the day they will die of heat. Nesting females are also
Green turtles and 5,000-6,000 Log- 15-20 years old. They lay their eggs every 2-5 years. Mating takes place at
very wary of lights and movement on the beaches when they come up to lay
gerhead turtles. In the past they sea. Loggerheads start nesting at the end of May and usually finish by mid
their eggs. If disturbed they will go back to the sea. If disturbed on
were found in much larger numbers. August. Green turtles start and finish about two weeks later. In the season
consecutive nights they will drop their eggs in the sea. This is why the public
Between 1900 and 1960 about a turtle may lay 3-5 clutches of round, leathery eggs. Loggerheads lay about
are not allowed on the beaches at night
100.000 of turtles, mainly Green 80 eggs in each clutch and Greens about 120. The Loggerheads lay their eggs
turtles, were exported to Europe in chambers about 30-50 cm deep and the Green turtles about 50-80 cm deep. Predation and other dangers: In Cyprus the main predator is the
from the east Mediterranean for Nesting takes place at night. The eggs incubate with the heat of the sun and fox. On some beaches, more than 80% of the eggs or hatchlings are eaten by
turtle soup. Green Turtle laying hatch about 7 weeks later. Sex determination depends on temperature. High foxes if they are not protected. Some nests may also be covered by the sea
temperatures produce females and low temperatures produce males. At about and perish as they are laid too near the water. Driving on the beaches can
In Cyprus Green turtles now nest on the surf-swept west coast beaches of 29-300C about half of the hatchlings produced are male and the other half destroy nests while deep tyre marks prevent hatchlings from reaching the
Lara/Toxeftra and on some beaches on the north coast and the Karpas. female. So eggs laid early in the season tend to produce more males and late sea.
Loggerheads also nest in the Lara/Toxeftra area but their main nesting nests more females. Turtles imprint on their natal beaches, which means that
beaches are in the Polis/Limni area in Chrysochou Bay. when they mature they will return to nest on the beaches they themselves Conservation: The Cyprus Turtle Conservation Project was set up by the
hatched on. Department of Fisheries and Marine Research in 1978, following surveys in
About Turtles: Turtles are reptiles. They evolved on land and went back 1976 and 1977. It is the first such project in the Mediterranean. The project
to the sea. That is why they breathe air and come up on land to lay their eggs.
Toxeftra beach showing nesting activity Measuring a Green Turtle Training course at Lara

2. aims at: In the Lara/Toxeftra Protected Area
● Protecting and managing the it is prohibited to:
important nesting beaches ➦ Stay on the beaches or the coastal
● Protecting eggs and hatch- area at night
lings from predation - and ➦ Drive any vehicle on a beach or
from human activities tolerate such action
● Protecting adult turtles ➦ Place an umbrella, caravan, tent
● Monitoring the turtle popu- etc., in the Protected Area
lation and nesting activity in ➦ Fish, except with a rod and line
Cyprus
➦ Use or anchor a boat or tolerate
● Raising public awareness in such action
turtle conservation
In the Lara-Toxeftra Reserve and on other beaches, such as the Polis/Limni
beaches, that are not busy tourist beaches, eggs are protected where they It is also prohibited to:
are laid by placing aluminium cages over the nests. These allow hatchlings to ➦ Leave your rubbish on the beaches
escape to the sea as soon as they emerge from the sand, and stop foxes from or anywhere else in the area
getting at the nests. Nests are moved to the hatchery at Lara from some ➦ Light fires on the beaches or
tourist beaches only (mainly Coral Bay). The hatchery is a patch of fenced anywhere else in the area
off beach where the eggs are re-buried. Nests too near the sea are relocated
➦ Collect any ghost crabs from these
higher up on the same beach. Over 8,000 Green and Loggerhead hatchlings are
released each year from the Lara/Toxeftra Reserve and at least another beaches. They are protected
12,000 from protected Loggerhead nests on the beaches in the everywhere in Cyprus.
Polis/Limni/Yialia area. This is a much larger number than what would normally
reach the sea without protection. Nesting females are tagged and their Please:
numbers and nesting activity are monitored. Stick to the existing paths and do not disturb
●
Training courses in Turtle Conservation Techniques have been held the sand-dune vegetation
every year since 1989 for Mediterranean scientists and Protected Area ● Take your rubbish with you
managers. Trainees are sponsored by UNEP(MAP). The courses are carried out
by the Cyprus Wildlife Society (CWS) in cooperation with the Department of
Fisheries and Marine Research. CWS also helps with the project.
Note: The information contained in this leaflet may be
reproduced after the authors’ (Andreas Demetropoulos and
The Law: Turtles and their eggs have been protected under the Fisheries Myroula Hadjichristophorou) permission. For further
Legislation since 1971. Nesting habitat protection was provided in 1989 information please telephone the above authors:
with management regulations
Tel. 22350316 or 22303901 or
passed under the same legislation
and covering the Lara/Toxeftra E-mail andrecws@logos.cy.net or myroulah@hotmail.com
area. This includes the main Green © All photos Andreas Demetropoulos
Turtle nesting beaches. In 2003
the Polis/Limni beaches were
declared a Coastal Zone for
Ecological Protection under the
Town and Country Planning Law. P.I.O. 133/2005-2.000
Turtles are also protected by Published by the Press and Information Office, Republic of Cyprus
several International Conventions Printed: J.G.Cassoulides & Son Ltd
Green hatchlings emerging from the sand which Cyprus has ratified.