Sea turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: distribution and conservation aspects

Abstract

Three of the seven extant marine turtle species are found in the Mediterranean Sea: Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas and Dermochelys coriacea. The human activities in the basin put several threats to these animals, especially in the last decades. At land, nesting activity and hactchling production are compromised by several factors, from disturbance to physical destruction of the sires. At sea, the incidental captures by fishing gears induce high mortality both due to the capture itself and to the commercial use of the specimens. Although substantial gaps still exist on the population structure and habitat use in the Mediterranean, the ever-increasing studies using different approaches are improving the general picture substantially. Here, a synthesis is given of the present knowledge on the distribution and conservation of these species in the Mediterranean.