Iztuzu Beach & Caretta Caretta Turtles

Iztuzu Beach & Caretta Caretta Turtles

Located in the Ortaca district of Muğla, southwestern Turkey, İztuzu Beach is a stunning 4.5 kilometer long sandy beach near Dalyan. The beach is famously known as Turtle Beach as it's a significant breeding ground for the endangered loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). From May to October, the beach can become quite crowded as the turtles lay their eggs.

Iztuzu Beach & Caretta Caretta Turtles

The loggerhead sea turtle is listed on the IUCN Red List of endangered animals, and because of this, İztuzu Beach has been under protection since 1988. It's a part of the Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area, ensuring a safe breeding ground for this endangered species.

The sandy beaches of İztuzu are crucial nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles, which is why there is an international conservation effort to protect their eggs. These efforts began in the 1990s and have since helped to ensure that the turtles have a safe space to breed.

Each year in early summer, loggerhead sea turtles return to the beach where they themselves were hatched, and lay between 50-150 eggs. Two months later, the baby turtles hatch and begin their treacherous journey towards the sea. Although they're born with the instinct to survive, only one out of every 1000 turtles will make it to adulthood. Caretta caretta turtles visit almost 20 beaches in Turkey each year to lay their eggs.