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- Lara was released from Lara Bay on 24 June 2026, carrying a satellite transmitter after finishing her nesting season.
- She travelled through the territorial waters of Cyprus, Egypt and Libya before reaching southern Tunisia.
- Lara reached the Ras Rmel marine reserve on Djerba island last September and is now moving through Bougrara Lagoon.
- The journey is part of scientific research by Glij and highlights the need for international cooperation to protect sea turtles.
Cyprus turtle Lara’s remarkable 2,700km journey to Tunisia
A loggerhead sea turtle released from Cyprus has travelled more than 2,700 kilometres across the Mediterranean as part of a satellite-tracking project jointly undertaken by the Cyprus-based Mediterranean Turtle Research and Conservation Society (MedTRACS) and the US-based Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC).
The female turtle, named Lara, was fitted with a satellite transmitter at Lara Bay in the Akamas Peninsula and released into the sea on 24 June 2026, following her nesting activity.
Her remarkable journey has taken her through waters off Cyprus, Egypt and Libya before reaching Tunisia, providing researchers with valuable information about sea turtle migration and the habitats these marine animals depend on.
The project, supported by Fahlo, has now entered a second phase of international cooperation, with the Tunisian Association Jlij pour l’Environnement Marin (AJEM) joining the initiative following Lara’s arrival in Tunisia.
From Cyprus to Tunisia
Lara, an adult female loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), measures 78 centimetres in curved shell length and 66 centimetres in curved shell width.
According to satellite-tracking data, she reached the Ras Rmel coastal and marine reserve on Tunisia’s Djerba island on 10 September 2026, after travelling across the Mediterranean.
On 1 October, her movements were recorded in the Bougrara Lagoon, between Djerba and mainland Tunisia, where she has continued to move through an area rich in biodiversity and marine food resources.
Over approximately 120 days of tracking, Lara covered around 2,700 kilometres, with her movements continuing to be monitored.
The data gathered through the joint MedTRACS and Sea Turtle Conservancy project help scientists better understand the migration routes, feeding grounds and habitats of loggerhead turtles, contributing to efforts to protect the species throughout the Mediterranean.
A conservation journey that began in Cyprus
Lara was named in honour of Lara Bay, one of Cyprus’ most important sea turtle nesting sites and the heart of the Cyprus Turtle Conservation and Research Project.
Conservation efforts at Lara Bay began in 1978, laying the foundations for decades of research and protection of marine turtles and their nesting habitats.
Through its scientific research, conservation activities and public awareness initiatives, MedTRACS works to protect Cyprus’ marine turtles and the environments they depend on.
The satellite-tracking initiative, carried out jointly with Sea Turtle Conservancy, forms part of these wider efforts to understand turtle movements beyond Cyprus’ shores.
The project has received support from Fahlo, which sponsored Lara’s satellite transmitter.
New collaboration with Tunisian conservation organisation
Following Lara’s arrival in Tunisia, MedTRACS and Sea Turtle Conservancy have expanded their conservation efforts through a new collaboration with AJEM, a Tunisian environmental association based in Djerba.
The association’s involvement marks a second phase of the project, building on the satellite-tracking work initiated in Cyprus and strengthening cooperation to protect sea turtles and their habitats in Tunisian waters.
AJEM works with local authorities, marine research institutions and fishing communities to support marine conservation, particularly around the Ras Rmel reserve and Bougrara Lagoon.
The collaboration also aims to raise awareness of the threats facing marine turtles and the importance of protecting their habitats.
Protecting sea turtles across borders
Lara’s journey highlights the interconnected nature of Mediterranean marine ecosystems and the importance of international cooperation in protecting migratory species.
Loggerhead turtles face numerous threats, including marine pollution, accidental capture and entanglement in fishing gear, habitat destruction and climate change.
By tracking their movements, researchers can identify important feeding areas, migration routes and habitats requiring protection.
The cooperation between MedTRACS, Sea Turtle Conservancy and AJEM demonstrates how a scientific initiative beginning on the shores of Cyprus can develop into a wider international conservation effort.
Lara’s ongoing journey serves as a reminder that protecting marine turtles requires collaboration across national borders, bringing together researchers, environmental organisations, authorities and local communities throughout the Mediterranean.
Also read: Cyprus named among Europe’s top six islands for autumn fishing
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