Baby loggerhead sea turtles emerged from their shells and began their first challenge: a dash across the sand to the waters of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.
It is a perilous journey for the sea turtles. Only about one in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood. About 25 years later, the females will return to the beach where they were born to lay their own eggs.
Despite grave threats from humans and natural predators, protection measures are working to help these turtles. The endangered loggerheads are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species.
Turkey’s southern coast is home to 21 official nesting areas for baby turtles. Protection measures include limiting the use of light and the speed of sea vessels. Many beaches are declared protected areas and are off-limits from 8pm to 8am.
