Nesting Activity of Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) at Göksu Delta, Turkey during 2004 and 2008 nesting seasons

Göksu Delta is one of the most important nesting beaches in Turkey for the endangered loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). This paper provides information on the nesting activities of loggerhead turtles, the spatial and temporal distribution of nesting, nesting success, nesting density, hatching success, incubation duration and clutch size over two nesting seasons. A total of 902 emergences occurred over two seasons, of which 239 (26.5%) nests were deposited (137 nests in 2004 and 102 nests in 2008) and the overall mean nesting density was 3.4 nests/km. The peak of nesting emergences takes place mainly in June. Of the overall nests, 226 (94.6%) were excavated and 16044 eggs were counted. Of these eggs, 3680 (22.9%) hatchlings emerged and 2695 (73.2% of hatchlings) of them were able to reach the sea. The mean number of eggs per clutch was 71 (range: 15 – 143). The shortest and longest incubation duration in these 2 seasons ranged from 46 to 62 days with a mean of 53 days. The main problems are negatively affecting loggerhead turtle population at Göksu Delta are dense jackal predation both adult and eggs and inundation in nests. The average nesting effort here (mean: 119.5 nests/season) confirms that Göksu Delta is one of the most important nesting sites for loggerhead turtles in Turkey.