Marine Turtle Conservation in the Mediterranean
CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT OF THE SEA TURTLE NESTING BEACHES OF BELEK (TURKEY) rd
Report to the 23 Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) Prepared by Dr. Monica Aureggi Commissioned by MEDASSET The Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles August 2003 INTRODUCTION. Turkey is one of the main Mediterranean countries (together with Greece and Cyprus) where major loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nesting grounds are located (Groombridge, 1988; Baran and Kasparek, 1989). Belek beach is an important nesting site mainly for loggerhead turtles in Turkey, that was firstly identified among major nesting grounds in Turkey by Geldiay et al. (1982). Nesting by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) was also mentioned by Geldiay in 1982, and since then few green turtle nests were recorded during subsequent surveys. The length of the study-area and methodology were standardised and a long term project was started by Hacettepe University research team (HURT) in 1999. Being aware that the more we know about an animal, its behaviour and its habitat, the more likely we are to be successful at conserving it, we should always consider that a detailed conservation Management Plan cannot be prepared without information on the area that we are considering. A good scientific database is necessary to design conservation strategies of an endangered species together with an assessment evaluation of the impact that some structures could have on the habitat. The aim of this report is to provide comments and suggestions reviewing what is known concerning loggerhead nesting activities at Belek from a scientific point of view; to report on the site assessment conducted between 3 and 5 August 2003 for MEDASSET and to provide a description of threats and recommendations from a fresh point of view. REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC DATA CONCERNING MONITORING ACTIVITIES. Location Belek nesting beaches are located in the Antalya province, about 40 km to the East of Antalya. Since 1999, the study-area has been the 29.5 km from the Aksu river in the West to the Sarisu stream in the East (Canbolat, 2001). According to Canbolat and Nalbantoglu (2001), the beach is divided into four natural sectors according to different geographical features and types of beach use (Table 1):
Beach Sections 1
4.7 km
Aksu river – Club Asteria
Natural Site Area
2
11.3 km
Club Asteria – Acisu stream
Tourism Development Area
3
6.7 km
Acisu stream – Koprucay
Specially Protected Area
4
6.6 km
Koprucay – Sarisu stream
Specially Protected Area
Table 1. The four beach sections according to Canbolat and Nalbantoglu (2001).
MEDASSET: Conservation Assessment of the Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches of Belek, Turkey (2003)
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