Sea turtle sighted near Konnos beach in Protaras

On Saturday, a sea turtle was filmed by a Philenews reader while on a cruise near Konnos beach in Protaras. The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research confirmed that the Mediterranean is currently in the middle of nesting season for two endangered species, the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the loggerhead (Caretta caretta). This season officially runs from mid-May through the end of September. While green turtles nest primarily in Cyprus and Turkey, loggerhead turtles also utilize beaches in Greece and other regions. The Department reports a positive trend of increasing nesting numbers in recent years, particularly for loggerhead turtles. Each nest typically contains between 80 and 100 eggs, although the survival rate to adulthood is approximately one in every 1,000 hatchlings. Key protected nesting sites in Cyprus include the Natura 2000 protected areas of Lara-Toxeftra in Paphos and the Polis-Gialia area.