Sea turtle nest conservation techniques on southwestern beaches in Turkey

Abstract

Loggerhead turtle nests at risk from tidal inundation and predation were either relocated, screened against predation, or fenced in areas of heavy human activity on Fethiye, Dalyan, and Dalaman beaches during the nesting seasons of 2000-2002. Relocation, screening, and fencing clearly increased the hatching success rate and provided effective protection of sea turtle nests against inundation and predation. The emergence pattern and sex ratios of hatchlings, incubation periods, and distances of nests from the water line were analyzed. Incubation temperatures leading to a high female-biased sex ratio were found on Dalyan Beach. Sand and nest temperatures of the relocated nests at the hatchery site influenced the sex ratios, as seen from histological sexing of dead hatchlings from both in situ and relocated nests.