Last week, I had the opportunity to embark on a day trip to Cape Greco, a stunning natural area on the southeastern tip of Cyprus. Known for its cliffs, crystal-clear waters and breathtaking views, Cape Greco is also home to one of the island’s greatest natural treasures: its protected turtle beaches. This experience provided me with a deeper understanding of the importance of turtle conservation and the challenges that lie ahead.
What makes this area of Cape Greco National Forest Park truly special is that it serves as a nesting ground for two endangered species of sea turtles: the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas).
The turtles give birth every two years, from June to mid-August, and Cape Greco is not the only site in which they do so, other nests can be found in the north of Paphos. In Cyprus, turtles, dolphins and seals have been protected since 1971 under the Fisheries Law. However, the systematic protection of sea turtles began until 1978. The Lara Bay Turtle Conservation Plan is renowned as one of the best in the European Union, and has been a finalist of the Natura Award. Its main objectives is the protection of turtles and their eggs from natural enemies and human activities, the protection of their breeding habitats, the control of the turtle population and their reproductive activity and conducting advocacy campaigns. Additionally, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research runs the Nesting Turtle Protection Programme, which involved the monitoring of turtle nests, relocation of eggs in dangerous areas and the release of hatchlings into the sea.
However, the long-term survival of turtles in Cyprus is uncertain. The turtles are part of a greater population that used to inhabit the Mediterranean, but their presence in neighbouring countries has reduced drastically because of the exploitation and destruction of their breeding places. Both the Loggerhead and the Green Turtles are classified as endangered in Cyprus, primarily because of habitat loss, pollution and human interference.
An important challenge, and one which I did my research about before my trip, is the balance between tourism and conservation. Increased activity on turtle beaches and disturbing their habitats and safety. That is why it is important for tourists to understand that tourist activity should be limited to conservation centres and that directly engaging with turtles and nests is likely to be a harmful activity.
Protecting sea turtles isn’t only about preserving a species. It is also about ensuring the health of an entire marine ecosystem, and by extension, the livelihoods of those who depend on it.
Our day at Cape Greco was a great reminder of the beauty and fragility of nature. Seeing the efforts being made to protect Cyprus’ turtles first-hand was inspiring, but it also highlighted the ongoing challenges. Finding out all this information about the local fauna and the efforts to protect it has awakened my passion for this subject, and I cannot wait to visit the Lara Bay Conservation Station in Paphos. It’s the next thing on my Cyprus bucket list, to keep learning about how to better collaborate and protect these beautiful creatures.
