We recently shared news from Spot – Northern Cyprus Turtle Protection Society of a number of turtles that had been killed in the Bogaz beach area click here and we have noted a further report on their Facebook page of another dead turtle as shown under.
“Victim number six. This morning (15th July) another turtle with a laceration to the neck was reported to SPOT and the Eastern Mediterranean University turtle protection team.
The necropsy revealed that again this was another nesting female loggerhead turtle with developed eggs. Since July 1 this is the sixth turtle with such injuries and this is the freshest one to be examined yet.
There were no prints on the sand from the turtle so we do not believe that the turtle came onto the beach to lay her eggs, but rather that she was killed at sea and washed ashore, shortly before being found by a local resident at 6 am.
All relevant authorities have been informed of the spate of attacks on loggerhead turtles at Bogaz beach. unfortunately, the situation continues. Loggerhead turtles can lay three to six nests in a season, so the death of these six animals will mean a loss of approximately 25 nests for this beach and many nests for decades to come.
The beach, which is an important site for loggerhead turtles in Cyprus, is already heavily degraded by uncontrolled and illegal development, light pollution, stray animals, and human disturbance at night, all of which are causing reduced nesting and reduced breeding success.
It is a disgrace that after migrating thousands of kilometers from as far away as Spain, simply to lay their eggs in this beach, the turtles are not permitted to do so in peace, and what’s more they are being killed.”
very sad news, hopefully the reason about their death will be found.