Southwestern Türkiye's Muğla, a major breeding ground for loggerhead sea turtles is expecting over 40,000 hatchlings this year.

Known by the scientific name Caretta caretta, they are among the species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.

Several beaches in the city's Ortaca and Fethiye districts have been home to over 600 nests this year as the nesting season that began in May nears an end.

The nests are protected under a project carried out by the Environment Ministry's General Directorate of Protection of Natural Assets.

Experts and volunteers from the Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (DEKAMER) are responsible for the well-being of the nests as well as the hatchlings.

They regularly check nests for hatchlings that could not reach the sea. They rescue stranded baby turtles and keep them at a center for a day before releasing them into the sea.

DEKAMER project coordinator, professor Yakup Kaska said that nesting and hatching season continues in the region as thousands of baby turtles make their way into the wild.

"The number of nests in the Special Environmental Protection (SEPA) zone has exceeded 600. We have more than 450 nests on the Dalyan Iztuzu beach. Over 100 nests in Fethiye and around 80 in the Sarigerme region." he said.

They carry out nest protection, monitoring and studies at these beaches. "Thanks to these studies, the number of nests has gone up in recent years," Kaska said. Last year, there were 42,000 hatchlings at 735 nesting sites.