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An endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) arrived on the Belek Coast in Antalya, Türkiye, on June 14, 2026, to carry out the annual nesting ritual.
A dedicated research and documentary team, including researchers from the Ecological Research Association (EKAD), gathered on the beach to witness and record the moment.
Working under the guidance of Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Project managers, Cansu Ulusoy and Fatih Polat, volunteers quietly monitored the marine reptile to ensure its safety.
The large female labored to dig a deep cavity in the sand, using her hind flippers to prepare a secure nest for her upcoming offspring.
Photographers captured striking visual evidence of the turtle's survival struggle as she deposited her eggs safely into the coastal sands.
After concealing the nest cavity to protect the eggs from predators, the loggerhead made her slow, exhausting journey back into the Mediterranean waters.
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