MERSIN/ISTANBUL 

One of the green sea turtles equipped with satellite tracking devices in Türkiye’s southern Mersin city, stopped transmitting signal off the coast of Gaza, likely due to harm caused by the ongoing war.

The Satellite Tracking of Sea Turtles project, carried out by the Mersin University Sea Turtle Application and Research Center, involved equipping two green sea turtles, named "Mersin University" and "Kizkalesi," with satellite tracking devices.

The turtles were released into the sea at the Millet Park beach in the Akdeniz district on June 12, 2024.

The project monitors their migration routes, feeding habits, and wintering areas in the Mediterranean.

According to the latest data, after nesting on the Mersin coast, "Mersin University" headed toward Syria, passing through Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, and eventually reaching the Bardawil Lake in Egypt.

However, the device attached to "Kizkalesi" stopped sending signals off the coast of Gaza, according to the research team.

Serap Ergene, the director of the Mersin University Sea Turtle Application and Research Center, said they had been tracking the turtles’ journey in real-time, adding: "They had followed the coastal strip and reached the Gaza Strip. Most of the time, they had followed the Mediterranean coast."

"When they reached the Gaza Strip, we were still receiving signals from both turtles. However, after a while, the signal from the turtle we named 'Kizkalesi' was lost in this region. Its last recorded position was in Gaza."

Expressing sadness about Kizkalesi's migration route being interrupted, Ergene said: "This development coincided with the tragic events happening in that region. We can see that the (Gaza) war is still ongoing, and we believe the sea turtle was harmed due to the war."

She said the project is significant for the endangered green sea turtles.

Ergene said that they continue to receive signals from the turtle “Mersin University,” estimated to be around 30-35 years old, from the Bardawil Lake in Egypt.

She noted that the turtle, having traveled around 4,500 kilometers (2,796 miles) without leaving the lake or following the coastline, is expected to return to Mersin during the breeding period, which typically occurs every two years, with a possible return in April or May next year.