SUSTAINABILITY

AROUND THE REGIONS
25
Cyprus
Sovereign Base
information. The relevant legislation
must be considered when planning
normal garrison and battalion beach
activities such as physical training and
summer parties.
Loggerhead turtle swimming in Cyprus © Mick Smith/Dragon Divers, Cyprus
The beaches in the British Sovereign
Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus are
important nesting sites for the
endangered green Chelonia mydas and
loggerhead Caretta caretta turtles.
Sea-tur tles in Cyprus are protec ted as
priorit y species under the Protec tion
and Management of Nature and
Wildlife Ordinance (implementing
the provisions of the Habitats
Direc tive), enac ted in 2007. Despite
this protection, disturbance to
nesting beaches and illegal killings
are not uncommon.
Since 1990, sea-turtle conservation
projects in both SBAs, carried out by
volunteers and overseen by the SBA
Environment Department, have
monitored the turtle beaches to find
and protect nests, assess hatch-success
and record any dead turtles found. The
information collected is used to inform
policy decisions regarding sea-turtles
and their habitats.
The work undertaken by volunteers is
invaluable. They are on nesting
beaches on a daily basis, which is an
enormous asset to enforcement
action, reporting damaging activities
such as camping, driving on beaches,
dogs on beaches, illegal fishing etc, as
they happen.
The Western Sovereign Base Area
(WSBA) turtle project, covering a
number of beaches, has benefitted
from long-standing and enthusiastic
volunteers, as well as, until last year,
involvement from the University of
Glasgow. The Eastern Sovereign Base
Area (ESBA) project covering two
beaches, has suffered from a lower
profile, poor recruitment of committed
and interested individuals in recent
years, and high volunteer turnover.
These beaches over time have become
increasingly important for nesting
turtles, with the numbers of nests and
hatch-success showing a general
increase. Because they are located on
military bases, these beaches are
potentially better protected from
disturbance than other beaches in
Cyprus. To achieve this potential,
protecting the turtles and their nests
during the sensitive period of nesting
and hatching (May-October) could be
made more effective by overcoming the
challenges of regular changes to
garrison staff and serving battalions, and
high volunteer turnover. Ensuring that
the required conservation measures are
implemented relies on the projects and
the legislation protecting the turtles
being given due consideration, and on
all new and existing staff being updated
regularly with turtle conservation
Just recently, all turtle nesting beaches
within the SBAs have been included in
the List of Areas of European
Environmental Interest published
under the Protection and Management
of Nature and Wildlife Ordinance. They
will soon be formally designated as
Special Areas of Conser vation.
Now funding is needed to raise
awareness across military communities
and the wider SBAs about turtles and
their fragile status. The ESBA would
benefit from the employment of a
conservation offcer to cover the project.
With help from charities such as the UK
Overseas Territories Conservation Forum
funding is being sought to support and
enhance both these projects.
Dr Phoebe Carter
Ecologist and volunteer for UK
Overseas Territory Conservation Forum
Loggerhead hatchling making the long journey to the
sea at Dhekelia beach, ESBA. Only 1 in 1000 hatchlings
will survive to adulthood © Dr Phoebe Carter
98
Sanctuary 44 • 2015