Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Underwater Research and Imaging Center (SAGM) Chair Assist. Prof. Dr. Burak Ali Çiçek released a statement regarding the release of baby sea turtles during the summer season of 2024. The statement by Assist. Prof. Dr. Çiçek reads as follows:
“With approval from the Environmental Protection Department under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment of the Deputy Prime Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), we have been conducting a project since 2008 to monitor and protect sea turtles along the Famagusta, Yeniboğaziçi, and İskele coastlines. This project is carried out in partnership with faculty and students from the EMU Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences as well as volunteers from various countries.
As part of our project, along with collecting scientific data on sea turtles’ nesting behavior, we focus on protecting them during their incubation period on the beach. Our main goal is to minimize the negative impacts caused by human activity. Although sea turtles live most of their lives in the ocean, during the breeding season, females come ashore to lay their eggs after mating in the water, marking the start of the incubation phase on land. Hatchlings typically emerge at night or early in the morning, swiftly making their way to the sea and swimming into deeper waters. Until they develop the ability to dive, they feed on surface-level food, and once mature, they transition to feeding on the ocean floor. During their time on the beach, they are particularly vulnerable and defenseless.
Some beaches in the TRNC are officially designated as protected zones and are closed to the public after 8 p.m. The beaches of Famagusta, Yeniboğaziçi, and İskele have specific protection regulations, which include banning vehicle entry, sand removal, littering (whether organic or inorganic), and the installation of temporary or permanent structures like tents or umbrellas that could harm the beach ecosystem, including its flora and fauna. Unfortunately, despite our efforts to raise awareness, supported by the Environmental Protection Department, local district offices, the Police General Directorate, and municipalities, we observe that some members of the community are reluctant to comply with these rules.
Environmental protection can only be accomplished when every individual takes responsibility. With this belief and inspired by the saying “You can shape a tree while it's young”, we focus on raising awareness, particularly among children, by organizing activities to promote environmental consciousness. We work with educational institutions at all levels—primary, secondary, and university—and engage the community in various settings. During the nesting season, we also run awareness campaigns on the beaches through baby turtle releases. To make these activities more interactive, we invite the community to participate in releasing baby sea turtles that are stuck in their nests and would otherwise not survive. Since we do not disrupt the natural process, the number of hatchlings varies during these events. In the summer of 2024, we held releases with around 2,000 participants. We prioritized children, giving everyone, especially the younger generation, a chance to observe the hatchlings as they made their way to the sea.
The activities carried out within the scope of the project are made possible not only through the resources of EMU but also with the help of sponsors. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our main sponsor, Isbank, as well as to the Famagusta Ravelin, Desdemona, famagusta Salamis, Famagusta Walled City, The Othello Citadel of Virtual, Young Professionals Cyprus Virtual Lions Clubs, Nicosia Capital, Nicosia North Cyprus, and Nicosia Arasta Lions Clubs, Kyrenia Ada, Kyrenia Özgür Ada, Kyrenia Beşparmak, and Güzelyurt Yeşilada Lions Clubs, District 135 Northern Cyprus, and to Solmaz Travel, Merit, Semra Limited, and BEM, along with everyone else who has supported us.”
