Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Petroleum exploration, sea fisheries and coastal urbanisation are the main activities in the Libyan coastal zone [ ] 143 Loggerhead turtles in Libya There are eight types of sea turtles roaming the oceans and seas, three of which are found in Mediterranean waters: the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caret), and the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriace). Genetic studies indicate that these species originated in the Western Atlantic and have inhabited the Medi- terranean for nearly 12,000 years. Human pressures on this marine organism have increased in recent decades, through bycatch, water pol- lution, and loss of nesting sites when sandy beaches are converted into tourist areas. As a result, sea turtles have been added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Libya is one of the most important loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting grounds in the Mediter- ranean Sea. The Libyan nesting population is unique, making its management important for the entire Mediterranean loggerhead turtle assemblage. The nesting activities of these turtles at various nesting sites in Libya has been reported by several sources. The Fourth National Report presented an initiative to implement the Libyan Sea Turtle Programme (LibSTP), for the conservation of sea turtles and their habitat, which was officially launched in 2005. The goal was to study, protect and raise aware- ness of the turtles in Libya. The pro- gramme also trains turtle enthusiasts and students to voluntarily survey and protect nesting beaches. Surveys in 2005–2008 indicated that nesting is largely concentrated in areas such as the Gulf of Sirte and the region around Benghazi. In 2005, 73 nests were protected on three beaches west of Sirte and 3,179 hatchlings were successfully released. A total of 550 nests were recorded in 2006 and 841 were documented in 2007 at 28 beaches along the Libyan coast. During the 2009 season, 358 nests were recorded in five nesting beaches in the region of Sirte. Between 2008 and 2009, the LibSTP project raised further awareness through national media, and improved the previously unsuccessful tagging of sea turtles by switching from plastic to inconel metal flipper tags. Akakus desert, Libya Libya T he wildlife of Libya is spread over the Mediterranean coastline and encompasses large areas of the Saharan desert. The protection of wildlife is provided through appropriate legislation in seven national parks, five reserves, 24 protected areas, two wetlands under Ramsar Convention, and also in other areas. There are also five UNESCO World Heritage Sites related to culture. The most important parks are the El-Kouf and Karabolli national parks. The well known nature reserves are the Benghazi and the Zellaf reserves. The wildlife species recorded in the country are 87 mammals and 338 species of bird. Libya’s natural national assets are its nearly 2,000 km of coastline and the vast Sahara desert which is the semiarid and arid region to the south. The hills, ponds and coastal habitats that comprise coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds, salt marshes, and mud flats add to the biodiversity. Some of the sites are important for migratory birds. Gabriele Bettelli on flickr