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A Potantial Nesting Site for Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta): Yakacık Beach, Türkiye

Year 2024, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 1 - 8, 30.06.2024
https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.1359514

Abstract

Monitoring of sea turtle nesting beaches in Türkiye have been conducted since 1988 and the number of beaches reached to 22. Mediterranean coast of Türkiye has many small pocket beaches and other inaccessible remote sandy beaches. In this study, I introduce a new nesting site, Yakacık Beach, for the loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the border of Antalya and Mersin provinces. Following the preliminary field studies on the 1.7 km long beach, 201 and 197 nests were found in 2020 and
2021, respectively, and the average nest density of the two years was calculated as 117.6 nests/km-1. Satellite images were also used to ensure and estimate the number of nests. The number of nest and the nest density were compared with the literature and Yakacık has the second highest nest density in Türkiye with a high predation rate up to 68%. The potential importance of Yakacık Beach and threats to the nesting beach and mitigation measures were discussed. Türkiye has one of the most important
nesting sites for the loggerhead turtles and the green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Mediterranean, with 17 nesting beaches identified in 1989. With the discovery of additional nesting sites such as Çıralı, Alata, Sugözü, Davultepe, and METUKocahasanlı beaches in the following years, the importance of Türkiye for sea turtle populations in the Mediterranean has gradually increased. With this study, a new nesting beach was identified and the importance of Türkiye for the Mediterranean Sea turtles was emphasized.

Thanks

I would like to thank the Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (DEKAMER) for supporting the fieldwork.

References

  • Baran, I., & Kasparek, M., (1989). Marine turtles of Turkey: status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Başkale, E., Sözbilen, D., Katılmış, Y., Azmaz, M., Uzuner, M., Sürücü, B., & Kaska, Y. (2018). The sporadic nesting sites of loggerhead and green turtles on western Anatolian coasts. In The 38th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conversation.
  • Canbolat, A.F. (1996). Dalyan ve Patara Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) Deniz Kaplumbağası Populasyonlarının Biyolojisi. – Hacettepe Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstütüsü, Doktora Tezi.
  • Canbolat, A.F. (2004). A review of sea turtle nesting activity along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Biological Conservation, 116, 81–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(03)00179-4
  • Canbolat, A.F., Atatunç, K., Candan, O., & Barcak, D. (2005). A new green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting site in the Mediterranean: Sugözü beaches, Adana (Turkey). In The Second Mediterranean Conference on Sea Turtles (Vol. 4, No. 7).
  • Candan, A.Y., Katılmış, Y., Ergin, Ç. (2020). First report of Fusarium species occurrence in loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests and hatchling success in Iztuzu Beach, Turkey. Biologia, 76, 565–573. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00553-4
  • Carreras, C., Pascual, M., Tomás, J., Marco, A., Hochscheid, S., Castillo, J.J.,……., & Cardona, L. (2018). Sporadic nesting reveals long distance colonisation in the philopatric loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Scientific reports, 8(1), 1435. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-19887-w
  • Casale, P. (2015). Caretta caretta (Mediterranean subpopulation). In: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T83644804A83646294.e, e.T83644804A83646294.
  • Casale, P., Broderick, A.C., Camiñas, J.A., Cardona, L., Carreras, C., Demetropoulos, …………& Türkozan, O. (2018). Mediterranean sea turtles: current knowledge and priorities for conservation and research. Endangered Species Research, 36, 229–267. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00901
  • Casale, P., & Tucker, A.D. (2017). Caretta caretta (amended version of 2015 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T3897A119333622. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T3897A119333622.en. Accessed on 14 September 2023.
  • Casale, P., & Ceriani, S.A., (2019). Satellite surveys: a novel approach for assessing sea turtle nesting activity and distribution. Marine Biology, 166, 47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3494-4
  • Ergene, S., Aymak, C., & Uçar, A. H. (2006). Nesting activity of the marine turtles (Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta) during 2005 in Alata, Mersin-Turkey. In Book of Abstracts. 26th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Island of Crete, Greece. p. 293
  • Ergene, S., Ergene, M., Uçar, A. H., Aymak, C., & Kaçar, Y. (2016). Identification of a new nesting beach in Mersin, Turkey: Nesting activity of green and loggerhead sea turtles over 6 nesting seasons (2009-2014) at Davultepe Beach. Marine Turtle Newsletter, 149, 6-9.
  • Hochscheid, S., Maffucci, F., Abella, E., Bradai, M. N., Camedda, A., Carreras, C.,………& Jesus, T. (2022). Nesting range expansion of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean: Phenology, spatial distribution, and conservation implications. Global Ecology and Conservation, 38, e02194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02194
  • Ilgaz, Ç., & Baran, İ. (2001). Reproduction biology of the marine turtle populations in Northern Karpaz (Cyprus) and Dalyan (Turkey). Zoology in the Middle East, 24(1), 35-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2001.10637884
  • Kaska, Y. (1992). Kızılot ve Patara Caretta caretta Populasyonunun Araştırılması. – Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Yüksek Lisans Tezi.
  • Kaska, A., Koç, G., Sözbilen, D. et al. (2023). Increased sample size provides novel insights into population structure of Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtles. Conservation Genetics Resources, 15, 67–75 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-023-01303-9
  • Kıdeyş AE., & Özkan K. (2019). ODTU/Kocahasanlı Kumsalı Raporu
  • Özdemir, A., Ilgaz, Ç., Durmuş, S. H., & Güçlü, Ö. (2011). The effect of the predicted air temperature change on incubation temperature, incubation duration, sex ratio and hatching success of loggerhead turtles. Animal Biology, 61(4), 369-383.
  • Piggelen, D.C.G., & Strijbosch, H. (1993). The Nesting of Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) in the Göksu Delta, Turkey, June-August 1991. – Turkish Journal of Zoology, 17, 137–149
  • Pike, D.A. (2013). Forecasting range expansion into ecological traps: Climate‐mediated shifts in sea turtle nesting beaches and human development. Global Change Biology, 19(10), 3082-3092. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12282
  • Rees, A.F., Avens, L., Ballorain, K., Bevan, E., Broderick, A.C., Carthy, ………., & Godley, B.J. (2018). The potential of unmanned aerial systems for sea turtle research and conservation: a review and future directions. Endangered Species Research, 35, 81-100.
  • Sandık, E., Dermancı, P., Sönmez, B., Özdilek, Ş.Y. (2023). First Record on Loggerhead Nest in Gökçeada, Türkiye in Northern Aegean. Commagene Journal of Biology, 7(2), 1-3 . Sarı F., & Kaska, Y. (2017). Assessment of hatchery management for the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on Göksu Delta, Turkey. Ocean & Coastal Management, 146, 89-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.06.010
  • Sönmez, B., Elginöz, E., Ilgaz, M., &Altınkaya, H. (2021). Nesting activity of loggerhead turtles (2013–2020) and 20 years abundance trend (2001–2020) on Çıralı Beach, Turkey. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 44 101758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101758
  • SWOT Scientific Advisory Board 2011. The State of the World’s Sea Turtles (SWOT) Minimum Data Standards for Nesting Beach Monitoring. Technical Report, 24 pp.
  • Tebliğ: 5/1 Numaralı Ticari Amaçlı Su Ürünleri Avcılığının Düzenlenmesi Hakkında Tebliğ (TEBLİĞ NO: 2020/20) Tomillo, P.S., Tomás, J., Marco, A., Panagopoulou, A., & Tavecchia, G. (2022). Environmental changes in the Mediterranean Sea could facilitate the western expansion of loggerhead turtles. Marine Ecology Progress Series, SHIFTav1. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14149
  • Türkozan, O., Yılmaz, C., Uçar, A., Carreras, C., Ergene. S., Aymak, C., Karaman, S., (2018). Local differentiation in the origin of stranded loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, within an eastern Turkey foraging area. Ocean Environmental Monitoring 153(1), 70-75. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. oceco aman.2017. 12. 011
  • Türkozan, O. (2000). Reproductive Ecology of the Loggerhead Turtle, Caretta caretta, on Fethiye and Kızılot beaches, Turkey. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 3(4), 686–692
  • Türkozan, O., Taskavak, E., & Ilgaz, Ç. (2003). A review of the biology of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, at five major nesting beaches on the south-western Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Herpetological journal, 13(1), 27-34.
  • Türkozan, O., & Kaska, Y. (2010). Turkey: Eds. Casale, P. and Margaritoulis, D. Sea turtles in the Mediterranean: Distribution, threats and conservation priorities. Gland. Switzerland, IUCN, 294.
  • Türkozan, O., Kaska, Y., & Oruç, A. (2020). Türkiye. . In: Casale P., Hochscheid S., Kaska Y., Panagopoulou A. (Eds.). Sea Turtles in the Mediterr Region: MTSG Annual Regional Report 2020. Report of the IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, 2020.
  • Whitmore, C. P., & Dutton, P. H. (1985). Infertility, embryonic mortality and nest-site selection in leatherback and green sea turtles in Suriname. Biological conservation, 34(3), 251-272.

İribaşlı Deniz Kaplumbağası (Caretta caretta) için Potansiyel Bir Yuvalama Alanı: Yakacık Kumsalı, Türkiye

Year 2024, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 1 - 8, 30.06.2024
https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.1359514

Abstract

Türkiye'de yuvalama kumsallarının izlenmesi 1988 yılından beri sürdürülmektedir ve toplam yuvalama kumsalı 22'ye ulaşmıştır. Türkiye'nin Akdeniz kıyılarında çok sayıda küçük cep kumsalları ve diğer erişilemeyen uzak kumsallar bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Antalya ve Mersin illeri sınırında iribaşlı deniz kaplumbağası (Caretta caretta) için yeni bir yuvalama alanı olan Yakacık Kumsalı sunulmuştur. Toplam 1,7 km uzunluğundaki kumsalda ön arazi çalışmalarının ardından 2020 ve 2021 yıllarında yapılan
çalışmalarda sırasıyla 201 ve 197 yuva bulunmuş ve iki yılın ortalaması olarak yuva yoğunluğu
117,6 yuva/km-1 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Yuvalama dönemi boyunca yuva sayısını tahmin etmek için uydu görüntüleri de kullanılmıştır. Yuva sayısı ve yuva yoğunluğu literatürle karşılaştırılmış ve Yakacık'ın yüksek predasyon oranıyla (~%68) Türkiye'deki en yüksek ikinci yuva yoğunluğuna sahip kumsal olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Yakacık Kumsalı’nın potansiyel önemi tartışılmış ve yuvalama kumsalına yönelik tehditler ve azaltım önlemleri ele alınmıştır. Türkiye, 1989'da tanımlanan 17 yuvalama kumsalı ile birlikte iribaşlı kaplumbağa ve yeşil kaplumbağa (Chelonia mydas) için Akdeniz’deki en önemli yuvalama alanlarını barındıran ülkelerdendir. Sonraki yıllarda Çıralı, Alata, Sugözü, Davultepe, ODTÜ-Kocahasanlı kumsalları gibi ek yuvalama alanlarının keşfi, Akdeniz'deki iribaş deniz kaplumbağası ve yeşil deniz kaplumbağası popülasyonları için Türkiye'nin önemi giderek artmıştır. Bu çalışma ile yeni bir yuvalama kumsalı daha tanımlanırken Türkiye'nin Akdeniz deniz kaplumbağaları için önemi vurgulanmıştır.

References

  • Baran, I., & Kasparek, M., (1989). Marine turtles of Turkey: status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Başkale, E., Sözbilen, D., Katılmış, Y., Azmaz, M., Uzuner, M., Sürücü, B., & Kaska, Y. (2018). The sporadic nesting sites of loggerhead and green turtles on western Anatolian coasts. In The 38th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conversation.
  • Canbolat, A.F. (1996). Dalyan ve Patara Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) Deniz Kaplumbağası Populasyonlarının Biyolojisi. – Hacettepe Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstütüsü, Doktora Tezi.
  • Canbolat, A.F. (2004). A review of sea turtle nesting activity along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Biological Conservation, 116, 81–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(03)00179-4
  • Canbolat, A.F., Atatunç, K., Candan, O., & Barcak, D. (2005). A new green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting site in the Mediterranean: Sugözü beaches, Adana (Turkey). In The Second Mediterranean Conference on Sea Turtles (Vol. 4, No. 7).
  • Candan, A.Y., Katılmış, Y., Ergin, Ç. (2020). First report of Fusarium species occurrence in loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests and hatchling success in Iztuzu Beach, Turkey. Biologia, 76, 565–573. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00553-4
  • Carreras, C., Pascual, M., Tomás, J., Marco, A., Hochscheid, S., Castillo, J.J.,……., & Cardona, L. (2018). Sporadic nesting reveals long distance colonisation in the philopatric loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Scientific reports, 8(1), 1435. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-19887-w
  • Casale, P. (2015). Caretta caretta (Mediterranean subpopulation). In: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T83644804A83646294.e, e.T83644804A83646294.
  • Casale, P., Broderick, A.C., Camiñas, J.A., Cardona, L., Carreras, C., Demetropoulos, …………& Türkozan, O. (2018). Mediterranean sea turtles: current knowledge and priorities for conservation and research. Endangered Species Research, 36, 229–267. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00901
  • Casale, P., & Tucker, A.D. (2017). Caretta caretta (amended version of 2015 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T3897A119333622. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T3897A119333622.en. Accessed on 14 September 2023.
  • Casale, P., & Ceriani, S.A., (2019). Satellite surveys: a novel approach for assessing sea turtle nesting activity and distribution. Marine Biology, 166, 47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3494-4
  • Ergene, S., Aymak, C., & Uçar, A. H. (2006). Nesting activity of the marine turtles (Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta) during 2005 in Alata, Mersin-Turkey. In Book of Abstracts. 26th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Island of Crete, Greece. p. 293
  • Ergene, S., Ergene, M., Uçar, A. H., Aymak, C., & Kaçar, Y. (2016). Identification of a new nesting beach in Mersin, Turkey: Nesting activity of green and loggerhead sea turtles over 6 nesting seasons (2009-2014) at Davultepe Beach. Marine Turtle Newsletter, 149, 6-9.
  • Hochscheid, S., Maffucci, F., Abella, E., Bradai, M. N., Camedda, A., Carreras, C.,………& Jesus, T. (2022). Nesting range expansion of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean: Phenology, spatial distribution, and conservation implications. Global Ecology and Conservation, 38, e02194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02194
  • Ilgaz, Ç., & Baran, İ. (2001). Reproduction biology of the marine turtle populations in Northern Karpaz (Cyprus) and Dalyan (Turkey). Zoology in the Middle East, 24(1), 35-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2001.10637884
  • Kaska, Y. (1992). Kızılot ve Patara Caretta caretta Populasyonunun Araştırılması. – Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Yüksek Lisans Tezi.
  • Kaska, A., Koç, G., Sözbilen, D. et al. (2023). Increased sample size provides novel insights into population structure of Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtles. Conservation Genetics Resources, 15, 67–75 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-023-01303-9
  • Kıdeyş AE., & Özkan K. (2019). ODTU/Kocahasanlı Kumsalı Raporu
  • Özdemir, A., Ilgaz, Ç., Durmuş, S. H., & Güçlü, Ö. (2011). The effect of the predicted air temperature change on incubation temperature, incubation duration, sex ratio and hatching success of loggerhead turtles. Animal Biology, 61(4), 369-383.
  • Piggelen, D.C.G., & Strijbosch, H. (1993). The Nesting of Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) in the Göksu Delta, Turkey, June-August 1991. – Turkish Journal of Zoology, 17, 137–149
  • Pike, D.A. (2013). Forecasting range expansion into ecological traps: Climate‐mediated shifts in sea turtle nesting beaches and human development. Global Change Biology, 19(10), 3082-3092. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12282
  • Rees, A.F., Avens, L., Ballorain, K., Bevan, E., Broderick, A.C., Carthy, ………., & Godley, B.J. (2018). The potential of unmanned aerial systems for sea turtle research and conservation: a review and future directions. Endangered Species Research, 35, 81-100.
  • Sandık, E., Dermancı, P., Sönmez, B., Özdilek, Ş.Y. (2023). First Record on Loggerhead Nest in Gökçeada, Türkiye in Northern Aegean. Commagene Journal of Biology, 7(2), 1-3 . Sarı F., & Kaska, Y. (2017). Assessment of hatchery management for the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on Göksu Delta, Turkey. Ocean & Coastal Management, 146, 89-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.06.010
  • Sönmez, B., Elginöz, E., Ilgaz, M., &Altınkaya, H. (2021). Nesting activity of loggerhead turtles (2013–2020) and 20 years abundance trend (2001–2020) on Çıralı Beach, Turkey. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 44 101758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101758
  • SWOT Scientific Advisory Board 2011. The State of the World’s Sea Turtles (SWOT) Minimum Data Standards for Nesting Beach Monitoring. Technical Report, 24 pp.
  • Tebliğ: 5/1 Numaralı Ticari Amaçlı Su Ürünleri Avcılığının Düzenlenmesi Hakkında Tebliğ (TEBLİĞ NO: 2020/20) Tomillo, P.S., Tomás, J., Marco, A., Panagopoulou, A., & Tavecchia, G. (2022). Environmental changes in the Mediterranean Sea could facilitate the western expansion of loggerhead turtles. Marine Ecology Progress Series, SHIFTav1. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14149
  • Türkozan, O., Yılmaz, C., Uçar, A., Carreras, C., Ergene. S., Aymak, C., Karaman, S., (2018). Local differentiation in the origin of stranded loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, within an eastern Turkey foraging area. Ocean Environmental Monitoring 153(1), 70-75. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. oceco aman.2017. 12. 011
  • Türkozan, O. (2000). Reproductive Ecology of the Loggerhead Turtle, Caretta caretta, on Fethiye and Kızılot beaches, Turkey. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 3(4), 686–692
  • Türkozan, O., Taskavak, E., & Ilgaz, Ç. (2003). A review of the biology of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, at five major nesting beaches on the south-western Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Herpetological journal, 13(1), 27-34.
  • Türkozan, O., & Kaska, Y. (2010). Turkey: Eds. Casale, P. and Margaritoulis, D. Sea turtles in the Mediterranean: Distribution, threats and conservation priorities. Gland. Switzerland, IUCN, 294.
  • Türkozan, O., Kaska, Y., & Oruç, A. (2020). Türkiye. . In: Casale P., Hochscheid S., Kaska Y., Panagopoulou A. (Eds.). Sea Turtles in the Mediterr Region: MTSG Annual Regional Report 2020. Report of the IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, 2020.
  • Whitmore, C. P., & Dutton, P. H. (1985). Infertility, embryonic mortality and nest-site selection in leatherback and green sea turtles in Suriname. Biological conservation, 34(3), 251-272.
There are 32 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Ecology (Other)
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Doğan Sözbilen 0000-0002-2267-1636

Publication Date June 30, 2024
Submission Date September 13, 2023
Acceptance Date January 3, 2024
Published in Issue Year 2024 Volume: 8 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Sözbilen, D. (2024). A Potantial Nesting Site for Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta): Yakacık Beach, Türkiye. Commagene Journal of Biology, 8(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.1359514