Information about the the turtles of Cyprus, their nesting, and hatching
A Turtle Watcher's Diary
2012 Season
Monday, August 6, 2012
We are up and running with an excavation this
evening!!
Gooooood morning turtle followers!! We apologies for the delay in getting our blog up and running for this season, but we are now online and poised waiting for our trusty turtle readers.
After a slow start to the season due to cooler than average temperatures, the season has turned out and continues to be another promising year for our records! Last year we had another record breaking year of 210 nests down on our two patrolled beaches at Alagadi, and although we currently have around 100 nests, females are still coming up to lay the possible final clutches. Our North beaches and our West beaches seem to be having a brilliant if not better year than last year, with around 75 nests on North and 224 on West. So all in all we look like we are having another turtly awesome season!!
Right on to the more important things... the hatchlings!! I am happy to announce that we will be having an excavation on this evening! YESSS!! SO as like last year, you all know the drill but we do have a time amendment. The excavation starts at the Goatshed from 4:00pm shortly after which we will take you down onto the beach. The nest is about half way along the bay on the right hand side from the beach bar (if you are facing the sea), so for those who have mobility difficulties, there is a chance that you can meet us down on the beach after 4. The nest that we will be excavating this evening is a Green turtle nest which started to hatch last night, so there is a high chance that there are still some hatchlings still within the nest. We appreciate that people will want to take pictures of the hatchlings but can we stress the issues of flash photograph?! The intensity of the flashes as you can appreciate can have negative impacts on the sight of the hatchlings, so I would like to take this opportunity to ask, that yes you can take plenty of pictures, but please remember to either turn the flash off, or just place you finger over the flash area.
Right nagging session over, our information visitors area at the Goatshed is open and awaiting your visits, with plenty of merchandise on sale for your holiday memorabilia, and plenty of willing volunteers to pass on their knowledge of these fascinating creatures! So don't hesitate to pop in or alternatively you can call us on our Goatshed mobile: (009)05338798533 So please head on down this evening and witness one of the first public excavations, but have no fear if you cannot attend this one, there are plenty more to come... just keep watching this space! Big love to all Collsy xxx
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Current research at the turtle project
Hello everyone, thought you might like to know a bit more about the kind of work that is going on at the turtle project. On top of all the hard efforts all the volunteers put into our conservation and research collection there are also a few undergraduates from the University of Exeter collecting data for their third year dissertations while we are volunteering.
Two other students and I are looking at whether artificial light in the area affects hatchling emergence from the nest. We are measuring the angles of the hatchling tracks the morning after a nest has hatched and have noticed so far, especially on Alagadi where there is the huge power station slightly further along the beach, that the hatchlings do seem to be heading off in the direction of the lights rather than straight down to the sea. We are collecting data from all the nests that the Project is trying to protect on Alagadi, the North beaches and the West beaches by Akdeniz so will hopefully get a good idea of how much the anthropogenic light affects the hatchlings, especially on those beaches with hotels and restaurants right on the shore.
And finally I can tell you that we will be excavating a nest on Alagadi this afternoon that everyone is welcome to come along to! The is a Green turtle nest which started to hatch last night, and hopefully we will find a few more hatchlings still in the sand. So a great opportunity to see them up close and in the day light, just remember that any cameras must have flash disabled when taking photos! So meet at the Goatshed at 4pm when we will all walk down to the beach together, or alternatively meet us down on the beach just after 4 on Bay 2, left of the beach bar when facing at the sea (Look for the red t-shirts!). Hopefully see some of you later on today, and if not you are always welcome to phone (on (009)05338798533) or pop in for some more information, Sasha x
Thursday, August 9, 2012
No excavation this evening
Hi trust turtle followers, Firstly I would like to apologies for the lateness of this blog update, it has been quite a packed morning, and secondly I am sorry to announce that we will not be having an excavation on this afternoon. The last couple of days, volunteers have been doing split shifts due to a group of volunteers heading off to Erenköy to celebrate and commemorate those who fell during the dispute. So we aloud them on more day to get back into the routine, from which point, service will run as normal tomorrow (well as normal as we get out here)!
Currently we are averaging a couple of nests a night so hopefully the hatchlings wont let us down, and we will be having another excavation tomorrow. Keep an eye on the blog for notification as to whether there is going to be an excavation, or call us on: 05338798533. Also if you would like to see whether we have a hatchling release on, and would like to book on, please call the Goatshed on the number above. Hope to bring you some good news of an excavation tomorrow! Collsy xxx
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Another day in Turtle Paradise
Its just another day for you and me in turtle paradise!!! Good morning fellow turtle followers! I can happily announce that we do have an excavation on this evening at the usual time of a 4pm leave from the GS down to the beach... you know how it all happens by now!
The nest that we will be excavating is half way along the second bay from GS before you get to the beach bar. The nest is a green nest, and there were a good number of tracks making their way down to the sea this morning, so looking like another successful nest here on Alagadi. From my calculations we can estimate that we have probably hatched around 1/4 of the nests so far this season, and now we are starting to get into the full swing of excavations, averaging 2 nests hatching at night.
As I have said before, this season is a lot quieter than last season, but the success of every nest is looking very promising if not slightly better this season from observations. Can I remind you that we are always open for visitors throughout the day, with willing and knowledgeable volunteers eagerly waiting to answer any question that you may have. Also our laying season looks like we will be finishing at the end of the week. Our adult season will officially finish when we have 10 days of no female activity, lets hope that this year we will not get a Logger FCA (attempt at laying but not) on our 10th night like last year! Although it was nice to show some of our volunteers who missed the adult season a loggerhead, the inconvenience of having to start the 10 day no activity all over again was not very amusing, especially when she didn't even come back up to lay or attempt again!
Anyway, I digress! Back to my original point which I never really stated! We have finished taking bookings for night work on the basis that we have no activities, however we are still taking bookings for the hatchling releases on the day when we know that they are on. We are unsure as yet whether we will be having an hatchling release on this evening, but by 12 noon we will. So if you wish to book on for this we will be opening up the hatchling hotline for 12. Please note that the phones will be engaged from this time on but keep trying and fingers crossed you will be able to get through to us! Although we do apologise that if you do manage to get through please be aware that the bookings may have already been fully booked, so please try again another time! Additionally in failing getting a place on our hatchling release, we will be having as I have said the public excavation, which at the end of the day, you will be able to clearly see the hatchlings in the day light, and you will be able to take photographs of the hatchlings which on the night time release you are unable to do. So I hope that we find everyone reading the blog well this fine Sunday! We hope to see you guys down at the excavation and hear from you soon on the phone line! Hope you have a good day! Collsy xxx
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Excavation for the nation!
Good afternoon turtle bloggers! I hope that we find all our followers well this fine hot day here in northern Cyprus! Just a quick one to say that we will be having an excavation on this evening at 4pm. Apologies for the lateness of this post, it has been a busy morning all round! The nest this evening is a loggerhead nest, and is half way along the 3rd bay from the GS. SO if you are already down on the beach and up at the beach bar, then the nest is to the right of you. Keep your eyes peeled for a group of people wearing red t-shirts followed by plenty of visitors! So get to the GS for 3:50pm and we will leave for the nest at 4. Hope to see many people there Collsy xxx
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Lets celebrate, lets excavate!
Goooood morning turtle bloggers I am happy to announce that we will be having another excavation on this evening, with the only nest that hatched last night. The nest is located on the second bay from the GS and is a loggerhead nest. This morning we have yet to get any hatchlings from our North of day time crew, so as yet we are not having a hatchling release at 8pm. However, do not fret too much! After we have excavated the nest this evening, and if there is a number of hatchlings dug up, we will see whether we have enough to release. If we do then we will recommend you to come up to the GS to book on for it. Do however, bear in mind that there are a lot of you guys wanting to do hatchling releases, any we may be fully booked within a couple of visitor returning. But we are doing releases pretty much daily, so if we don't have a release or if you can't book on, then don't forget to call us at 12 noon to try and book on again. Our no. is 05338758533.
Don't forget that our information centre is open everyday from 9am on wards, so come along and find out what we are doing here and why. Also we have a large range of turtle merchandise where proceeds go straight into the funding of the project. We are a charity based organisation, and the project would not be as successful as it is without your lovely donations, so firstly I would like to thank you for them, but also any donations are greatly appreciated in maintaining the current status of the project with your money going into funding of the equipment used throughout the season. So I hope to see you all at the excavation this evening. Following the usual drill of meeting just before 4pm to take you down to the nest. See you then Collsy xxx
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Excavation tonight!!!
Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times, blame it on the turtles!
Good morning trusty turtle followers! I am happy to announce that we will be having another excavation this evening at the usual time of 4pm. After a couple of nights with little hatching activity, we had 3 hatch last night! Woop woop! This morning myself and my day time crew went down and excavated a logger nest that had a 50% success rate, and have left the green nest for you all to observe this afternoon, while the other has been left to hatch for another night.
The nest this evening, is located on our third bay from the GS and as I have said is a green nest. You all know the drill by now, but for those who may be new to the blog, we get visitors to meet at the Goatshed for just before 4pm, from which we will then take you down to the nest from here. It will roughly take a 10-15 minute walk to the nest, so make sure you have plenty of water with you! If you are already down on the beach, we should be walking past the beach bar at around 4:10, so look out for red t-shirts followed by groups of visitors. Can I remind you all that flash photography is prohibited, as the intensity of the flash can damage the hatchlings sight. So if you could either turn the flash off of stick your finger over the flash light, we would be greatly appreciated. Also we can not let you hold or touch the hatchlings, as they a) may possibly carry salmonella, and b) the sun cream on your hands can irritate the hatchlings skin. You will though have plenty of opportunities to get good pictures so don't panic! If you do wish to still have the experience of handling a hatchling, the second activity that we offer through the hatchling season is a hatchling release which occurs at 8pm. We take bookings over the phone from 12 noon on the day with NO pre-booking, but please remember that we will book up very quickly and if you don't manage to book on please try again! Our number is 05338798533.
Hope you enjoy this marvellous day, an see some of you later! Collsy xxx
Friday, August 17, 2012
We like turtles!!
We don't like turtles...no...oh no...We love them, turtle holiday, we don't like turtles...no...oh no...We love them so lets go excavate!!
Good morning turtle followers! The GS hopes that we find you all well on this splendid morning?! After a good turn out yesterday, I am hopeful that the numbers at our excavations will continue to grow, and to see whether my theory works, I am happy to blog that we do have an excavation on this evening. If you can remember yesterday, I said that we left a nest to hatch for another night? Well nothing else hatched last night so we will be excavating this one for you observation this evening. The nest is located about half way along our second bay from the GS, and is a green nest. As yet we have no hatchlings from our Alagadi day time crew, so we are waiting on the North crew to say whether we will be having a release on tonight or not. But please do call at 12 noon still to see whether our Northies were successful or not in their quest to find some hatchlings!
Can I stress that the releases do get booked up very quickly and we do apologies if you are unsuccessful in booking a place. This 'activity' is very popular and does get very competitive on the phones, but we can not take more than 30 people down to the beach plus if we only get a certain number of hatchlings obviously we can only take that number of people down too. So please if you don't get on one day do try another. If you are interested in the excavation, please come down for the GS for around 4pm from which we will take you down to the beach from here.
May I nag again please no flash photography can be used during the excavation as this can damage the eye sight of the hatchlings and also bring out the extent of the sand covering volunteers (not a pleasant look for you holiday snaps!)!! But never the less, please come down to the GS anytime for any information you may need, and don't forget to call at noon to see whether we have a hatchling release. Or number is: 05338798533 Hope to see you soon! Enjoy your day Collsy xxx
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Excavation on this evening
We will we will hatch them... hatch them turtles, we will we will hatch them!!!
Gooooood morning followers! Last night was another quiet night on the hatchling front, but we were lucky enough to have one nest hatch, which will be excavating for you this evening. The nest today is located on our second beach, which is over the headland from the beach with the beach bar. So to save a 20min+ walk and possibly loosing some of you guys over the rocky headland on the way, we will be doing a convoy from the GS around 4pm. We will not be passing past the beach bar, so if you are already down on the beach, you will need to come to the GS and we will convoy you round. Not all the people that turn up for the excavations do have cars, so if there were any people that are unable to drive, we would ask if some of your lovely selves would be kind enough to give them a lift. Please remember if you wish to go on a hatchling release to give us a call at 12 noon to book in. Hope to see you lovely people at the excavation tonight! Collsy xxx