Sea Turtles
Cyprus is one of the last important nesting sites for sea turtles in the Mediterranean. Two species nest on the beaches:
- Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas): Main nesting site Lara Beach (Akamas) in the south and Alagadi Beach near Kyrenia in the north.
- Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta): More common, nests on several beaches of the south and north coast.
Nesting season: June–August. The females come ashore at night, dig nests, and lay 80–120 eggs. After 45–60 days, the tiny young hatch and crawl into the sea — a moving natural spectacle.
The Lara Bay Turtle Conservation Project on the Akamas Peninsula protects the nests and sometimes offers guided night walks. In the north, the SPOT (Society for Protection of Turtles) organizes similar programs at Alagadi Beach.
💡 Tipp
If you are at a turtle beach between June and August: No lights on the beach, do not dig holes, remove towels and loungers in the evening. Light disorients the hatching young — they crawl not to the sea but to the light and die.
