Increased occurrence of sea turtles in Cyprus
The amount of sea turtles nesting on the shores of two military bases in Cyprus has climbed up once more. Eco-activists have noted a nearly 25% surge in nests from both Green Sea Turtles and Loggerhead Sea Turtles compared to the previous year's record. In total, 382 turtle nests were spotted across all sandy beaches within the base's territory – a 100-nest boost from last year.
As per Alexia Perdiou, the environmental officer of the bases, these local conservation initiatives are yielding results. Between 1994 and 2011, only approximately 30 turtle nests were found annually. She attributes this uptick to the decline in construction projects on the majority of the sandy beaches in the bases, as well as regular checks by volunteers ensuring the correct placement of aluminum barriers around the nests to ward off threats from foxes and dogs.
Individuals found driving vehicles on the beaches, hosting barbecues, or using powerful lighting could incur penalties as severe as 17,000 euros or a maximum of three years in jail.
The increase in turtle nesting might be linked to the improved conservation efforts, considering the year of manufacture of these improvements is not specified but dates back to around 1994. Regular monitoring and the installation of aluminum barriers since then have likely contributed to the surge in nesting turtles.
