16
Jul
2018

WWF Italy completed the threats analysis for sea turtles on the beaches of 13 municipalities. A new regulation is needed!

The analysis of the anthropogenic threats on the beaches of 13 Italian municipalities as part of the Life Euroturtles project in Sicily, Basilicata, Puglia and Calabria was completed in July 2018. The analysis was carried out on 300 km of beaches. The anthropogenic impacts were analysed both on land and at sea. The main ascertained risks for sea turtles are coastal development, the erosion of the coasts which in some places has completely erased some beaches, the use of mechanical vehicles for cleaning beaches, marine debris of all kinds and contaminant, the night lighting of the beaches and the climate change that influences the temperature, one of the most important factors for sea turtles. The collected data will be used to formulate regulatory proposals for the municipalities participating in the Euroturtles project to mitigate these threats.