STORY: Türkiye's endangered sea turtles see rise in nests
SHOOTING TIME: Sept. 18, 2024
DATELINE: Sept. 19, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:51
LOCATION: Ankara
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Loggerhead turtles crawling to the sea
2. various of a volunteering base
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): ALI FUAT CANBULAT, Lecturer at Hacettepe University
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): FATMA HASAN DINCEL, Volunteer
5. various of ongoing conservation efforts

STORYLINE:

Loggerhead turtles, or Caretta caretta, an endangered species, are increasingly using Türkiye's western Mediterranean coast as a vital nesting ground.

This year has seen a rise in the number of nests, thanks to ongoing conservation efforts and heightened awareness among locals and tourists, conservationists told Xinhua.

Every year, these turtles visit the coast in Antalya province, Türkiye's premier tourist destination, between April and May to lay their eggs, which hatch during the peak summer months.

Under the guidance of Ali Fuat Canbolat, an Ankara-based scholar, The Ecological Research Association and its volunteers are diligently monitoring the nesting sites as part of the Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Project.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): ALI FUAT CANBULAT, Caretta Caretta Expert, Lecturer at Hacettepe University
"This year, about 100 volunteers have worked with us since May. In 2024, we have monitored around 6,500 nests in the Mediterranean and over 100,000 hatchlings have been able to meet seawater."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): FATMA HASAN DINCEL, Volunteer
"With volunteers, we monitor loggerheads day and night on the beaches and make sure that our guests do not approach the nesting areas and do not disturb the animals."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ankara.
(XHTV)