DALYAN, a small tourist village in the Muğla Province of Turkey. The village has become a popular holiday destination because of nearby İztuzu Beach, the nesting place of the endangered Loggerhead Turtle. In holiday brochures the destination is promoted as Green, Peaceful and Sustainable. But where “TURTLE BEACH” has brought prosperity to the village, turtle tourism is now asking its toll: the welfare of the Loggerhead and Nile Turtle is seriously at risk.
The chance of actually seeing a Loggerhead Turtle in the wild is small, but tour operators and local boatmen are ready to accommodate tourist wishes in Turtle Watch Tours. To lure the turtles, they are baited with chicken, fish or protected Blue Crab. This comes at a high price:
· Turtles may get seriously injured
· Turtles may suffer from intestine problems because of unnatural food they cannot digest
· Turtles rely on fast food rather than forage by themselves
· Loggerhead Turtles tend to stay in the delta instead of migrating
· Male Loggerhead Turtles are getting aggressive towards humans and have even bitten tourists …
The Dalyan Delta is not a ZOO …
Turtles should not be fed, baited or teased for the amusement of tourists. They are part of the wildlife of the Köyceğiz-Dalyan SPA and should be protected in accordance with the Bern Convention.
Help to stop this practice by signing our petition.
We need a minimum of 5,000 online signatures to give the petition clout, so SHARE if you CARE! Sign NOW to get the practice banned well before the new tourist season starts.
