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The Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta), a species vulnerable to coastal disturbance
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is one of the seven sea turtle species inhabiting the world’s oceans.
In Europe, it is present in the Mediterranean Marine bio-geographical region. The species’ largest nesting concentrations in the Mediterranean Sea occur along the Cypriot, Greek, Libyan and Turkish coasts.
Estimated annual nesting rates are 3,050, 1,365 and 571 nests per year respectively for Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus.
Smaller nesting events occur along the Italian, Tunisian, Egyptian, Israeli, Syrian, and Lebanese coasts.
Nesting distribution of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea Source: UNEP/MAP–RAC/SPA
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is exposed to a wide array of threats throughout its life-cycle, both when using beach areas and while at sea. In particular, nesting ground degradation due to human beach use and coastal zone mismanagement practices (for example physical installations and constructions, tourism, traffic, light pollution and debris, sand extraction and beach erosion) severely decrease nest development and success.
Accidental capture of loggerhead turtles in various fishing gears causes high mortality across age groups. The annual total accidental capture of marine turtle species in the Mediterranean Sea has been estimated at 40,000 individuals for bottom trawl nets, 50,000 for pelagic long-lines, 35,000 for demersal long-lines and 30,000 for stationary nets.
Pollution by plastic ingestion and boat strikes are also threats to marine turtles. The latter occur especially during summer months and in areas close to nesting grounds.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is considered as ‘endangered’ in the IUCN* Red List of threatened species.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is exposed to a wide array of threats throughout its life-cycle, both when using beach areas and while at sea. In particular, nesting ground degradation due to human beach use and coastal zone mismanagement practices (for example physical installations and constructions, tourism, traffic, light pollution and debris, sand extraction and beach erosion) severely decrease nest development and success.
Accidental capture of loggerhead turtles in various fishing gears causes high mortality across age groups. The annual total accidental capture of marine turtle species in the Mediterranean Sea has been estimated at 40,000 individuals for bottom trawl nets, 50,000 for pelagic long-lines, 35,000 for demersal long-lines and 30,000 for stationary nets.
Pollution by plastic ingestion and boat strikes are also threats to marine turtles. The latter occur especially during summer months and in areas close to nesting grounds.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is considered as ‘endangered’ in the IUCN* Red List of threatened species.
In the Mediterranean Sea, every year about 55 tons of lindane (a substance forbidden within the EU in the early 1990s) are poured in the sea. Lindane is one of the so-called persistent organic pollutants (POPs), a group of 12 extremely toxic pesticides and industrial chemicals including PCBs, dioxins, and DDT. Reported affects of these chemicals include carcinogenic, immunodepressant, and endocrine disruption activities in both animal and humans.
Each year, Italy produces 2,174 tons of lead (compared to 944 tons by Spain and 868 tons by France); 30 tons of cadmium (compared to 14 tons by Spain and 12 tons by France); 8,576 tons of copper (compared to 2,220 by Turkey and 1,950 tons by Serbia); 1,949 tons of zinc (compared to 1,804 tons by Serbia and 1,310 tons by France). Italy and Greece both released 13 tons of mercury, the most dangerous heavy metal for the environment and human health, into the Mediterranean Sea in 1999, with Spain releasing a further 18 tons and France a further 17 tons. The Mediterranean states can no longer ignore the quantity of accumulated toxics poured in their Sea and we need to do something against it.
Lorenzo Fantacuzzi
*The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is the world’s main authority on the conservation status of species.
Tags: Mediterranean, Pollution, turtle
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