THE COVER PAGE
Project Title: Adriatic Marine Turtle Project: Beach Survey - Faze I
Implementing organization:
- Department of Zoology, Croatian Natural History Museum
- "Natura", Croatian Society for Conservation of Nature
Date of Submission: February 1996.
Duration of the project: Four months
Project Summary:
Population of marine turtles in the Mediterranean have been decreasing steadily through many years. Three species, common in the Mediterranean until some years ago, now become gradually scarce. Incidental catch by fishing gears, water pollution and use of their nesting beaches for touristical activities constitute the main causes of their decline, towards to extinction.
The most common species of marine turtles in the Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea, the Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), is the only species of marine turtles which nest in temperatures regions also. Beside major nesting beaches in Turkey and Cyprus, and smaller nesting activities on Libyan, Syrian, Israel, Tunisian and Egyptian coast, the largest Mediterranean nesting sites of this species are in Greece.
The dark spots on Mediterranean nesting-sites map are Albanian and Croatian coast. Until recently, there were no published data about emerges or nesting behavior of marine turtles along the Croatian coast. Nevertheless, according the new results of preliminary research of marine turtles in the Adriatic carried out in last two years, emerges of turtles are recorded on Croatian beaches. Although the reasons of such behavior are still unknown (nesting, false nesting, thermoregulation, illness), it is possible that Loggerheads nest on some beaches along the southern coast of Croatia.
Beach Survey Project is planed in two fazes, first of which is suggested here, with this
Project-proposal. Main aim of this first faze is to investigate number of beaches from Split to
Cavtat suitable as a nesting sites. For this purpose preliminary aerial survey of whole area, and
detailed beach inspection for research on beach parameters (dimension, tide frontier, vegetation,
pollution, exposition, deepness of sand level, sand temperature) is planed.
Second faze of Beach-Survey Project for studying frequency and reasons of coming-on-shore
and existence of possible nesting activities of marine turtles in the Adriatic would be proposed
later, based on results of first-faze research..
According the UNEP/MAP RAC-SPA Action Plan for conservation of Mediterranean marine turtles and Barcelona Convention, one of the Plan priority is investigation of new nesting areas and improvement of knowledge about behavior of species and their habitants as well. With this implementation of Beach Survey Project it is possible to give answers about existence of potential nesting beaches, as the answers about reasons, occurrence and importance of coming-on-shore of marine turtles along the southern Croatian coast. Furthermore, the most interesting dilemma about existence of marine turtles nesting areas in the Adriatic would finally be solved. Results of this research, together with all results of previous researches concerning the Adriatic marine turtles will help us to make a real picture about status of this endangered animals, as in the Adriatic, so in the Mediterranean.