ZAGREB, 20 Sept (Hina) - For the first time, the nesting of the loggerhead turtle, a strictly protected species, has been confirmed in Croatia, on the island of Korčula, at Pržina Beach in Lumbarda, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition reported.

The Ministry stated that after years of searching, on September 10, around 15 loggerhead hatchlings were observed at Pržina Beach in Lumbarda as they made their way to the sea after emerging from their nest.

Experts from the Croatian Natural History Museum confirmed the finding, thereby officially confirming for the first time the nesting of loggerhead turtles in Croatia.

"This finding is extremely important because it confirms that the Croatian coast can also be considered a nesting area for this strictly protected species, opening up a new dimension in its conservation. In addition to caring for injured turtles, it is necessary to focus more efforts on preserving their habitats and our natural beaches, raising public awareness about the sensitivity of the species and its ecology, all with the aim of ensuring that loggerhead hatchlings have an undisturbed and safe path to the sea," the Ministry said.

It added that this discovery gives hope that, with continued active protection and greater involvement of the local community, the Croatian coast will become a safe nesting area for the loggerhead turtle in the future.

The loggerhead turtle is the most numerous sea turtle species in the Adriatic Sea, which is considered one of the most important feeding grounds for the species in the entire Mediterranean. The largest nesting sites in the Mediterranean are found along the Greek, Turkish, and Cypriot coasts, while turtles in the Adriatic mostly originate from Greek nesting sites. Nesting in the Adriatic has been extremely rare, but in recent years loggerhead turtle nests have been recorded with increasing frequency, including a larger number in Albania, Montenegro, and Italy.

Sea turtles are strictly protected under the Nature Protection Act, which prohibits any deliberate disturbance, capture, or killing of these animals.