Caretta Carettas in Dangerous Waters

In the last five months, Mandalya Bay has turned into a death port for caretta caretta sea turtles, also known as loggerhead turtles, an endangered species.  The death of these turtles is being blamed on on local fish farm operators who see the turtles as a threat to their farms.  Five turtles were found hacked to peices with their innards pulled out In the last five months, Mandalya Bay has turned into a death port for caretta caretta sea turtles, also known as loggerhead turtles, an endangered species.  The death of these turtles is being blamed on on local fish farm operators who see the turtles as a threat to their farms.  Five turtles were found hacked to peices with their innards pulled out near the bay. Some of the turtles are getting caught in the fishing nets and lines when they come out to breed and some have been killed by the speed boats which are prevalent in the tourist hot bed that is Mandalya Bay. "Warning fishermen, tourism operators and fish farm owners," Bahattin Sürücü, chairman of Ecosystem Protection and Nature Lovers Foundation, said, "if we keep contaminating the seas, using jet skis and speedboats errantly and killing the animals, we will need to establish a cemetery for sea turtles." The extinction of the sea turtles could have dire consequences to the balance of the ecosystem in Turkey's waters.  Read more here. "We need to protect sea turtles, which face the danger of distinction, and use the Anatolian coasts as their breeding areas, within the Bern and Barcelona agreements. If these animals become extinct, we cannot swim in the seas because of the jellyfish. We are all responsible for that," said Sürücü.