On Iztuzu Beach in Turkey, beneath the moonlight, tiny turtles emerge from the sand and race toward the sea. This ancient cycle is being increasingly altered by climate change.
Turkey will host COP31 in November in Antalya. The loggerhead turtle, or caretta, became the official mascot of the summit. Its nesting grounds along the Mediterranean coast serve as a clear indicator of warming.
The temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchlings. Warmer nests produce more females. Researchers note that this is already happening.
According to Ayfer Sirin, a lecturer in ecology at Üsküdar University, sea turtles are a very rapid warning signal. They depend on both land and sea, so they reflect changes in coastal ecosystems.
On Patara Beach, a five-year study found an average of 70 % females among hatchlings. Scientists believe that behavioral changes alone may not be enough.
At Iztuzu, nest temperatures have risen by nearly 1 °C over 20 years, reported Yakup Kaska. In a broader analysis, females make up to 80–90 % in many populations.
Additional threats include fishing gear and plastic pollution. But the main signal comes precisely from the warming of the sand.
What does this mean for future generations of turtles and for the region as a whole?
