Iskele environmental crisis: Sea turtles die amid neglect

Iskele environmental crisis: Sea turtles die amid neglect

Reader’s mail…
Submitted by the North Cyprus Society for the Protection of Turtles (SPOT)

ISKELE, NORTH CYPRUS — Sea turtles featured prominently in Northern Cyprus tourism branding are facing growing threats on the shores of Iskele, according to the North Cyprus Society for the Protection of Turtles (SPOT), which says unmanaged development and weak enforcement are putting nesting beaches at risk.

The group says that, despite the island’s reputation for turtle conservation, a lack of local oversight and unsupervised construction has contributed to an increase in turtle deaths and disrupted nesting activity, particularly for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta).

A rising toll, SPOT says

Since 2020, at least 45 adult loggerhead turtles have died on beaches in the Iskele area, according to SPOT. The organisation attributes the deaths and nesting disruption to several main pressures:

• Stray dog attacks: SPOT says dogs roam the beaches at night, attacking turtles and disturbing nests, which can lead to egg and hatchling losses.
• Light and noise pollution: The group identifies Bosphorus, Cyprus Gardens and Long Beach as hotspots for artificial light, which it says can disorient both hatchlings and nesting adults.
• Habitat loss: SPOT says the illegal expansion of hotels and beach facilities at Kaplica Beach conflicts with the Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA) management plan, and that enforcement has been limited.

SPOT says the problems are solvable but that stronger monitoring and enforcement are needed ahead of the peak nesting season.

Nesting shifts toward Kantara

SPOT Marine Life, which says it has monitored the area since 1993, reports that while nest numbers have increased across Northern Cyprus, nesting activity has not improved at the Hot Springs beach within the Tatlisu Special Environmental Protection Area. By contrast, the group says it recorded a sharp rise in nesting attempts at neighbouring Kantara Beach—described as a 2,000% increase compared with previous years.

SPOT said in a statement: “Turtles are being driven outside traditional nesting areas due to beach parties and pollution. In search of a quiet beach, they head to the small Kantara Beach. But this year, the Kantara coast is also being damaged by illegal breakwaters and concrete foundations.”

Enforcement and accountability

The Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that recent construction in Kantara is illegal, according to SPOT. The group said those responsible were fined and ordered to halt work, but argued that the penalties were too limited to deter further damage.

SPOT also pointed to broader protection gaps, saying that only about 8% of Northern Cyprus is designated as a nature reserve, and criticised what it described as inaction by Iskele Municipality.

Steps the group is urging

With the nesting season expected to begin in mid-May, SPOT said it had asked Iskele Municipality to take a series of measures focused on enforcement, animal control and coordination with non-governmental groups.

1. Law enforcement at Kantara Beach: SPOT said it wants the beach restored as soon as possible, including the removal of concrete structures found to be unlawful.
2. Control of stray animals: The group said it wants dogs removed from nesting beaches and for measures to reduce attacks on adult turtles and disturbance of nests.
3. Coordination with NGOs: SPOT said it is seeking a partnership model in which municipalities and conservation groups jointly manage beaches to balance tourism and wildlife protection.

In its statement, SPOT also said turtles are reaching the island “from great distances”, including from as far as Spain.

Source (Turkish). North Cyprus Society for the Protection of Turtles (SPOT)

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