2021-09-10
The Mediterranean Sea is in the spawning season for sea turtles now, and various organizations and NGOs have been conducting educational activities and awareness rising campaigns to protect the spawning grounds in Albania. Last couple of years, spawning sites were found along the coast of the Divjake-Karavasta National Park (DKNP), and this year, more efforts are being made to monitor the spawning sites. Already this summer, there have been three reports of sea turtles caught in fishing nets by fishermen, and RAPA staff has been helping to rescue and release them.
On August 18, as part of our Junior Rangers Program, we held a workshop on sea turtle spawning. Park staff introduced monitoring methods for sea turtle spawning, and then we walked along the shoreline looking for sea turtle trails. Unfortunately, we were not able to see any, but we cleaned up the area where the sea turtles would lay and incubate their eggs.
Monitoring at potential Spawning site
Cleaning activity
Saved and released sea-turtle at DKNP on 7th August.