SHOTLIST:

ANTALYA, TÜRKİYE (AUGUST 13, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)

1. CLOSE SHOT OF RARE CONJOINED BABY LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES

2. TURKISH VETERINARIAN MEHMET YUKSEL SPEAKING TO REPORTER (Turkish)

3. VARIOUS OF YUKSEL EXAMINING X-RAY IMAGE OF CONJOINED BABY LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES ON COMPUTER SCREEN
ANTALYA, TÜRKİYE - AUGUST 13: A rare pair of conjoined baby loggerhead sea turtles has been discovered during nesting site monitoring in Manavgat district, in southern Türkiye’s Antalya province, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry said.

The turtles were found during nest inspections in Köprülü Canyon National Park as part of a ministry-approved project to monitor and protect sea turtles (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) along the Manavgat coast, carried out with the consent of the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and the support of Ege University’s Faculty of Fisheries.

Veterinarians and academics conducted detailed examinations of the hatchlings, which were joined from the spinal area and shared parts of the large intestine.

According to veterinarian Mehmet Yuksel, the turtles had two separate front sections but a single body at the rear.

He said separation was not possible and their chances of survival in the wild were low.

Yuksel added that the hatchlings would not be able to return to their natural habitat, and that the team planned to provide them with the best possible care and nutrition to improve their quality of life.

The ministry noted that similar cases had been recorded in previous years along Türkiye’s coastline and that such findings contribute valuable data for biodiversity and marine ecosystem monitoring.