By Heidi Trautmann
During the 23rd Book Fair in Nicosia organized by Isik Bookstore I found a small book in German published by Rüstem Bookstore in Nicosia and written by Marcos Gittis and Christiane Sternberg. I am sure they also have it in English and Turkish. The authors got the support of the local organizers of the turtle protection project. A well researched little book with very good pictures and I enjoyed very much reading it.
People protect what they love – said Jacques-Yves Cousteau…and I would like to add …and they love what they understand.
The book is about the history of sea turtles, the mythology and their most wonderful circle of life.
The sea turtle does not select the beach for nesting itself, it always returns to its birthplace, and that is usually a deserted natural beach where it feels safe. We know that for sure as the scientists of the turtle project had attached a small transmitter to the migrating turtles back. We still have such natural beaches in North Cyprus and every summer the sea turtles return to our sandy coasts to lay their eggs for many centuries now; but there is no guarantee that they will still be able to do so in future with the rumours of hotels being built on these last wild coasts which for a long time now should have been declared World Heritage. It is not only to give sea turtles a chance to survive, it is also to protect our own children’s future.