Sea turtle conservation efforts bear fruit at key nesting beach in Muğla

MUĞLA

Conservation efforts aimed at protecting sea turtles have yielded encouraging results at İztuzu Beach, one of the world’s most important nesting sites, located in the Ortaca district og Muğla in southwestern Türkiye.

According to data released by the Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (DEKAMER), comprehensive protection and rehabilitation activities carried out throughout 2025 led to a marked increase in reproductive success and a decline in nest predation rates.

Scientific monitoring conducted as part of long-running nest protection programs revealed a steady upward trend in the total number of eggs laid, based on the analysis of yearly data sets. At the same time, researchers observed an overall decrease in predation targeting turtle nests, signaling the effectiveness of sustained conservation practices.

Of the injured sea turtles admitted to the center in 2025, a majority were successfully treated and returned to their natural habitats.

Year-end figures indicate a rehabilitation success rate of 59.4 percent. Many of the injuries recorded were linked to human activities, including entanglement in fishing gear and boat strikes.

More than 5,000 people, including students, public officials and representatives of commercial enterprises, were contacted through in-person and online programs during the year, while over 50,000 visitors toured the facility.

In 2025, 17 rehabilitated sea turtles were released back into the sea, three of which were fitted with satellite tracking devices to support scientific research into migration, distribution and behavior, contributing valuable data to global conservation efforts.