Marine turtles nest on the beaches at many of the holiday destinations most visited by UK tourists. Here is a summary of marine turtle information and about the top destinations for UK tourists:
Barbados
Barbados has important nesting and foraging habitat for hawksbill turtles, while some leatherback turtles also nest there, and green and loggerhead turtles are found in the coastal waters. Tourism development negatively affects some of the turtle nesting beaches, but the well respected Barbados Sea Turtle Project is working hard to mitigate against these threats. Contact them for more information.
Brazil
Brazil hosts nesting populations of green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead and olive ridley turtles, and regionally important foraging habitat for green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles. Tourism development impacts on some of the nesting beaches, but PROJETO TAMAR is a world leader in community-based marine turtle conservation and is working towards reducing these threats. Contact them for more information.
Bulgaria
Marine turtles do not nest on Bulgarias' Black Sea shore or regularly frequent the country's coastal waters.
Croatia
Loggerhead and green turtles have been recorded in Croatia's waters, as well as occasional leatherback turtles, but turtles do not nest on Croatia's shores. For more information contact the Adriatic Marine Turtle Programme.
Cuba
Green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles nest on some Cuban beaches. Whilst tourism development does not currently impact turtle nesting beaches, there is illegal capture of turtles and trade in turtle curios and tortoiseshell jewelry (derived from hawksbill turtles). International trade in turtle products is largely banned by signatory states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is illegal to take these products out of most countries and it is illegal to bring them into the UK. Do not but turtle or tortoiseshell products while you are on holiday abroad! For more information contact Fisheries Research Center, 5ta Ave. y 248 Street, Barlovento Playa, La Habana, 19100, CUBA. Tel: 0053 724 5895.
Cyprus
Both northern and southern coasts of Cyprus host nesting populations of green and loggerhead turtles. Some of the nesting beaches are severely impacted by tourism development, as well by litter accumulation. Boat strike is also problem for adult turtles in Cyprus waters during the nesting season. If you plan to visit Cyprus, please heed the advice in the Turtles in Trouble animation to reduce your impact on the marine turtles there. For more information contact Cyprus Wildlife Society Emmanuel Xanthou 11, Macedonitissa P.O. Box 24281 Nicosia 1703, Cyprus (in southern Cyprus) and the Marine Turtle Research Group (northern Cyprus) for more information.
Dominican Republic
Green, hawksbill, leatherback and loggerhead turtles nest on Dominican Republic beaches, and green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles forage in her coastal waters. Nesting beaches are being severely impacted by the current tourism boom and illegal capture of turtles and sale of turtle curios and tortoiseshell jewelry is widespread. International trade in turtle products is largely banned by signatory states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is illegal to take these products out of most countries and it is illegal to bring them into the UK. Do not but turtle or tortoiseshell products while you are on holiday abroad! Contact the Grupo Jaragua Inc. for more information. The Marine Turtle Research Group are also carrying out nesting beach surveys on the island.
Egypt
Green and loggerhead turtles nest on some of Egypt's Mediterranean beaches, where there is some tourism development pressure. Green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles forage in the country's Red Sea waters and feature in the Egypt's scuba diving tourism industry. Contact the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency for more information.
France
Marine turtles do not nest in France, but Kemp's ridley, loggerhead and leatherback turtles are reported in French territorial waters in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
Greece, Crete and the Greek Islands
Greece hosts one of the largest loggerhead nesting populations in the world, and the largest in the Mediterranean. The most important nesting site is in the National Marine Park at Laganas Bay, Zakynthos, but loggerheads also nest on Cephalonia, Crete (notably at Hania, Rethymno and the Bay of Messara) and some sites on the mainland Peloponnesus (notably Koroni, Kyparissia Bay and Lakonikos Bay). Most of these sites are subject to intense tourism development pressure, especially in Zakynthos and Crete, and turtles are subject to boat strike and the perils of marine litter. If you plan to visit these destinations, please heed the advice in the Turtles in Trouble animation to reduce your impact on the marine turtles there. For more information contact either ARCHELON or MEDASSET, Greek organisations who both work tirelessly to protect Greece's regionally important loggerhead turtle populations.
India
India has a wealth of marine turtles. Green, hawksbill, leatherback, olive ridley turtles nest in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while green and hawksbill turtles forags in coastal waters. Green, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles nest in the Lakshdweep Islands, while green and hawksbill forage in their waters. Olive ridley turtles nest sporadically along much of the mainland coast, and the world's largest arribada olive ridley population nesting along several beaches along the Orissa coast in the north east. In Goa and Maharashtra, where leatherback and green turtles also nest, tourism development is a significant threat to marine turtle nesting habitat, as well as at several sites along the other west coast states of Kerala and Karnataka. Contact ATREE and the Wildlife Protection Society of India for more information.
Kenya
Green, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles nest on Kenyan beaches, while leatherback and loggerhead turtles have also been recorded in her waters. There is pressure from tourism development at some of the nesting beaches, and marine litter is also a problem. For more information contact, the Local Ocean Trust, one of several organistaions working hard to protect Kenya's turtles.
Jamaica
Hawksbill and loggerhead turtles nest on Jamaica's beaches. Green and leatherback turtles used to nest there, but may have been wiped out through exploitation for meat and eggs. Green turtles still forage in Jamaica's waters. There is intense tourism development pressure at some turtle nesting beaches. In addition, the tourism industry has generated pollution while dive tourism may be partly responsible for some reef damage. Tortoiseshell products are sold locally. International trade in turtle products is largely banned by signatory states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is illegal to take these products out of most countries and it is illegal to bring them into the UK. Do not but turtle or tortoiseshell products while you are on holiday abroad! Contact the National Environment and Planning Agency for more information.
Maldives
Green, hawksbill, loggerhead, olive ridley and occasional leatherback turtles nest on the Maldives' beaches, while green and hawksbill turtles feed on the reefs and are a feature of the country's valuable dive tourism industry. There is some tourism development pressure at some of the nesting beaches, and tourism-related activities also result in some marine litter pollution and reef damage. Contact the Government's Marine Research Centre for more information.
Mexico
Mexico has a wealth of marine turtles. Leatherback and olive ridley turtles nest on the Pacific coast, while green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles nest on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico hosts the world's only natural nesting population of the critically endangered Kemp's ridley turtle and has the largest hwaksbill nesting population in the Caribbean on the Yucatan Peninsula. Green, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley and loggerhead turtles regularly forage in Mexico's waters. There is widespread and illegal harvest of turtles for their eggs, meat, skins and shells, some of which reaches the tourist market. International trade in turtle products is largely banned by signatory states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is illegal to take these products out of most countries and it is illegal to bring them into the UK. Do not but turtle or tortoiseshell products while you are on holiday abroad! There are many marine tutle research and conservation projects in Mexico. Search Seaturtle.org for links to the numerous turtle conservation projects operating in the country.
Morocco
Loggerhead turtles are believed to nest on Morocco's Mediterranean shores, although little is know about this population, and juvenile loggerheads, Kemp's ridleys and leatherback turtles pass through Morocco's waters in the Straits of Gibraltar. Surveys have revealed that some loggerhead shells are offered for sale to tourists at some markets. International trade in turtle products is largely banned by signatory states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is illegal to take these products out of most countries and it is illegal to bring them into the UK. Do not but turtle or tortoiseshell products while you are on holiday abroad!
Portugal
Marine turtles do not nest in Portugal, but loggerhead and leatherback turtles are seasonally present in Portugal's coastal waters.
Slovenia
Marine turtles do not nest on Slovenia's beaches, but loggerhead and green turtles are present in her coastal waters and ppotentially at risk from excessive tourist boat traffic and marine litter. Contact the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation for more information.
Spain and the Canary Islands
Marine turtles very rarely nest on Spanish beaches, but loggerhead and green turtles are regularly recorded in her Mediterranean waters, while loggerhead and leatherback turtles occur in Spain's Atlantic coastal waters. Marine turtles do not nest on Canary Island beaches, but juvenile loggerhead and green turtles are regularly recorded in the Canary Islands' coastal waters.
Sri Lanka
Green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead and olive ridley turtles nest on Sri Lanka's shores, while green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles forage in the island's coastal waters. Turtle nesting habitat is under severe pressure from tourism development all along the west coast and in parts of the south coast. In addtion, several turtle hatcheries have been established along the west coast. These businesses buy turtle eggs from illegal egg poachers and hatch the clutches in protected areas. Most then keep the hatchlings for a few days top show to paying tourists. This practice is disasterous for the hatchlings as it prevents them from completing their natural lifecycle and swimming out to sea. Instead they forage in coast waters when they are released and are an easy meal for the many inshore predators such as big fish, sharks and seabrds. In contrast, MCS project partners the Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) protects turtle nests in-situ at project sites of Kosgoda (west coast) and Rekawa (south coast). They also operate careful, nocturnal turtle-watches for anyone interested in seeing nesting turtles or the emerging hatchlings, which are allowed to run straight to the sea. Contact the TCP for more information.
Tanzania
Green and hawksbill turtles nest on Tanzania's shores, although leatherback, loggerhead and olive ridley turtles have also been recorded in the coastal waters. Tourism development threatens some nesting beaches, and turtle products and tortoiseshell jewelry are sometimes offered for sale to tourists. International trade in turtle products is largely banned by signatory states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is illegal to take these products out of most countries and it is illegal to bring them into the UK. Do not but turtle or tortoiseshell products while you are on holiday abroad! Contact Seasense, a Tanzanian organisation working hard to protect the country's marine turtles.
Thailand
Green, leatherback and olive ridley turtles nest in Thailand but are under extreme pressure due to egg poaching and tourism development of the nesting beaches. Green and hawksbill turtles are found in Thailand's seas. For more information, contact Naucrates, an organisation working to protect Thailand's remaining turtles and marine resources.
Tunisia
Small numbers of loggerhead turtles nest on the Kuriat Islands of Tunisia, where some of the beaches are heavily used by tourists. For more information contact the Sfax office of the Institut National des Sciences et Technologie de la Mer who are involved in a marine turtle monitoring project on the Kuriat Islands.
Turkey
Turkey hosts important nesting sites for both loggerhead and green turtles. The tourist resorts of Dalyan, Sarigerme, Ekincik and Fethiye are important for loggerhead turtles, while the beaches at Kizilot and Belek are important for both loggerhead and green turtles. Tourism development is a threat at some of these sites as is tourist boat traffic and marine litter. If you plan to visit these destinations, please heed the advice in the Turtles in Trouble animation to reduce your impact on the marine turtles there. For more information contact either MEDASSET or WWF Turkey, organisations who both work tirelessly to protect Turkey's regionally important turtle populations.
If you holiday destination is not listed here, check out out Turtle Conservation Fund pages, we may have helped projects in your destination country through our Adopt a Turtle programme and other fundraising activities. Otherwise, visit Seaturtle.org and search for information about turtles at your holiday destination.
