As loggerhead turtles spread west, Mediterranean beach resorts learn to share the sand.
Loggerhead sea turtles are nesting farther west in the Mediterranean, and researchers, volunteers and some Italian beach operators are adjusting, including with new lighting rules for beach businesses.
Loggerhead sea turtles are nesting on Mediterranean coasts between Italy and Spain, far west of their traditional sites, according to Mongabay's reporting. Nesting was historically concentrated in the eastern and central basins, mainly in Greece, Türkiye and Cyprus, while the western basin served mainly as a feeding area for juveniles. Over the past five decades, nests have appeared in increasing numbers in Italy, France and Spain. Spain's first confirmed nest was documented in 2001, and regular yearly nesting began there in 2014.
Researchers are still working out why. Carlos Carreras of the University of Barcelona hypothesizes that warming seas speed up juvenile growth in the western foraging grounds, so turtles mature earlier and far from their ancestral beaches. Sandra Hochscheid of the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn said the exact cause is still unknown. Genetic work links the new nesters to turtles in Greece, Turkey and the Caribbean. Tracking and genetic data suggest pioneer mothers return to the same beaches. Hochscheid said: "In the Western Mediterranean, we are observing an expansion of the population in real time."
The turtles are arriving on crowded sand. Nearly 27,000 private beach clubs cover roughly 43% of Italy's beaches, and tractors rake the sand before dawn, which can compact it and potentially crush shallow nests. Conservationists said operators at first treated nests with hostility. Leda Tonizello of the ELSA ETS association recalled locked gates and erased tracks. She said that attitudes have since shifted through coordinated work by many groups. Pino Cappuccio, a lido owner in Ascea, said guests value seeing a nesting or a hatching.
Light remains a problem. A July 2026 study in Mediterranean Marine Science by Hochscheid's team found that 87% of nests in Campania were exposed to direct or indirect beachfront lighting in 2022 and 2023. The authors write that 82% of the nests surveyed needed human intervention to prevent hatchling disorientation. Ascea worked with the Anton Dohrn institute to install low-intensity lighting along its promenade, and from 2027 low-impact lighting will be mandatory for any business applying for a beach facility concession. Mayor Stefano Sansone said: "In our changing world, environmental protection is also an economic strategy."
Scientists are now trying to anticipate where the turtles will nest next. In Spain, Irene Alvarez de Quevedo is studying coastal temperatures to build predictive models of beach suitability. In Italy, Francesca Capanni of the University of Siena is analyzing sand grain size and testing for pollutants. The Life Turtlenest project, coordinated by Legambiente and co-financed by the EU LIFE program, began in 2023 with partners in Italy, Spain and France.
At a Glance
- Spain recorded its first confirmed loggerhead nest in 2001, and regular annual nesting there began in 2014.
- Nearly 27,000 private beach clubs cover roughly 43% of Italy's beaches, according to the article.
- A July 2026 study found 87% of Campania nests were exposed to beachfront lighting in 2022 and 2023.
- From 2027, low-impact lighting compliance becomes mandatory for beach facility concession applicants in Ascea, Italy.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.