On the Status of the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) (Reptilia: Testudines: Cheloniidae) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

The Mediterranean Sea hosts at least six of the world’s seven known species of sea turtles. Loggerhead, Leatherback, and Green Sea Turtles have been recorded in the marine ecosystem of the Gaza Strip and are occasionally found stranded on beaches. This study sheds light on the status of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The current study, which spanned from 2005 to 2024, relied on repeated field visits to the 42-kilometer coastline of the Gaza Strip, fishing ports, fish markets, zoos, and museums, as well as meetings and discussions with relevant stakeholders, monitoring and reviewing local media and social media reports related to sea turtles, and taking documentary photographs. The results showed that the Green Sea Turtle is the second most frequently caught, by-caught, or stranded sea turtle in the Gaza Strip, after the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. The number of strandings or bycatch of this species may reach ten and twelve cases per year. Some stranded specimens have been found to have various epibionts, particularly barnacles, growing on their shells. No Green Sea Turtles have been recorded nesting or hatching on the beaches of the Gaza Strip. Very few Green Sea Turtle specimens have been exploited as food by a few Gazans. In most cases, sea turtles kept in local zoos died and did not live long due to poor captivity conditions. The sea turtles received widespread local media coverage, and may have contributed to their conservation by returning them to the sea. The threats facing green sea turtles in the Gaza Strip are numerous and included fishing gear and bycatch, vessel strikes, harvesting for consumption, marine pollution, and marine debris. The study recommends protecting and conserving sea turtles in the Gaza Strip’s marine ecosystem, as they are endangered creatures worldwide

Keywords:Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas, Mediterranean Sea, Stranding, Threats, By-catch, vessel strikes, Exploitation, Captivity, Gaza Strip, Palestine

The Mediterranean Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, home to at least six of the world’s seven known species of sea turtles [1]. These six turtle species include the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta Linnaeus, 1758), Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758), Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea Vandelli, 1761), Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata Linnaeus, 1766), Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii Garman, 1880), and Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea Eschscholtz, 1829). Almost all sea turtle species are considered endangered, they range from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List [2,3]. Of those mentioned, the Loggerhead and the Green Sea Turtles are common breeders in the region [4,5]. The Green Sea Turtle, also known as Black or Pacific Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) and belonging to the family Cheloniidae, is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its common name refers to the green fat typically found under its carapace, as the species is herbivorous and its diet consists strictly of sea grasses (the only flowering plants growing in marine environments), algae and mangrove leaves [6], rather than to the color of its carapace, which ranges from olive to black [7]. Based on this fact, Green Sea Turtles are the only species of herbivorous or vegetarian sea turtle, and their diet composition can vary between foraging areas depending on the presence/absence of nutrients [8].

Threats facing Green Sea Turtles and other sea turtle species worldwide seem to be analogues and include fisheries and incidental capture, fishermen’s nets that lack turtle excluder devices, overexploitation (demand for meat, shells and leather), commercial exploitation of eggs, vessel strikes, pollution and marine debris, coastal and marine development, loss and destruction of nesting habitats by humans, artificial lighting, predation on nests and young, introduction of exotic predators, and climate change [9,10- 13]. Efforts to protect and conserve sea turtles require international cooperation because these endangered creatures roam vast areas of the world’s oceans and coasts while migrating or nesting [2].

Many scientific studies have addressed the status of Green Sea Turtles from biological, ecological and conservation perspectives worldwide, and many studies in countries located on the Eastern and Southern coasts of the Mediterranean have contributed to enriching this topic [14,15-35]. Scientific studies on Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) in the occupied Palestinian territories appeared to be scarce. Some Palestinian studies [36,37-40] have indicated the presence of three species of sea turtles in the Mediterranean waters of the Gaza Strip; namely, the Loggerheads, Greens, and Leatherbacks; with the Loggerhead is the most abundant species [41,42]. According to Euroconsult/ IWACO [43] and MEnA [44], the nesting activity of these sea turtles on the Mediterranean coast of the Gaza Strip seemed questionable. However, cases of catch, by-catch and stranding have been recorded in certain circumstances along the 42 km long coast of the Gaza Strip (Personal Observations). Therefore, this modest study sheds light on the status of the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. It is worth noting that the current study is the first of its kind to address some descriptive details of this species of sea turtles in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

The Gaza Strip (31˚25’N, 34˚20’E) is an arid to semi-arid strip of Palestinian territory along the southeastern Mediterranean Sea (Figure 1), covering an area of 365km2. The current population exceeds 2.3 million, the majority of whom are refugees registered with the United Nations, making the Gaza Strip one of the most densely populated places in the world [45]. The length of the Palestinian coast in the Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean Sea is about 42km, and the Rashid Coastal Road extending from the North of the Gaza Strip to its south is between 10 and 150 meters from the coast, depending on the geographical area it passes through, which means that the Gaza beach opposite the Mediterranean Sea is not wide, which may represent an obstacle to the reproduction of sea turtles. The Gaza Strip beach is also full of permanent and temporary facilities, chalets, rest houses, cafeterias, etc., most of which are lit, which constitutes another obstacle to the reproduction of sea turtles.

Figure 1:A map showing the geographic position of Palestine and the Gaza Strip.

In the summer, the coastal environment of the Mediterranean Sea in the Gaza Strip is crowded with swimmers, vacationers and holidaymakers who find in the marine environment and its yellow beach the only outlet for them in light of the repeated Israeli wars and attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip from all directions by land, sea and air. The Gaza Strip has at least 3500 fishermen working on more than 1500 fishing vessels of different sizes, shapes and capacities. The accessibility and exploitation of Gazan fishermen to the fluctuating fishing area are often governed by the Israeli occupation. The total production of fisheries resources is 3,500– 4,000 tons per year [46]. The Directorate General of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, is the competent, responsible, and authorized authority to ensure the maximum utilization of fishery resources in the Palestinian Territories.

The current study relies on a descriptive and cumulative approach to obtaining information, extending over a period of 20 years starting from 2005 to 2024. During this long period of time, repeated field visits and ecological trips were made by the author and his university students studying vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, ecology, biodiversity, marine biology and oceanography, to hotspots along the 42kms coast of the Gaza Strip. Special visits were also made to the fishing ports in the Gaza Strip and the fish markets (Dalalah Market or Al-Hisba) in an attempt to investigate various marine organisms including sea turtles. Meetings and discussions were held with relevant parties or stakeholders, including employees of the Directorate General of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture, Gazan fishermen, and some of the Gazan public on the beach to fill the necessary gaps in collecting data related to sea turtle sightings, strandings, captures, and bycatch. In addition, the author tracked and reviewed local media reports and social media related to sea turtles. On many occasions, the author was contacted by fishermen or other Gazans via mobile phones or social media, including WhatsApp and Facebook, to inquire about the species of sea turtles they encountered at sea or on the beach, whether alive or dead. Sometimes they were photographed and their photos were sent as well. Under certain conditions, the author was able to take approximate measurements and available observations on some specimens he encountered on the beach, in the markets, or even in some zoos spread throughout the Gaza Strip (Figure 2). Finally, digital cameras were used throughout the study to take photographs for documentation and verification purposes.

Figure 2:The author presenting two species of sea turtles found in the Gaza City Zoo in 2008: (A) Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas), and (B) Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta).

Description of green sea turtle

The Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) is the second most frequently caught, by-caught or stranded sea turtle in the Gaza Strip after the Loggerhead Sea Turtle due to its relatively low occurrence in the marine ecosystem of the Gaza Strip. Several individuals of different sizes have been observed repeatedly. Unlike the Caspian or Striped-neck Terrapin (Mauremys caspica Gmelin, 1774) that lives in Wadi Gaza or the Greek or Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758), and like other sea turtle species known in the Gaza Strip, this turtle cannot retract its head or flippers into its shell. The shell of the Green Sea Turtle consists of two parts, the upper half is called the “carapace”, and the lower part is called the “plastron”. They have dark brown, grey or olive carapace and a much lighter plastron that ranges in colour from yellow to white (Figure 2). The length of the Green Sea Turtle carapaces that washed up on the beach or were seen alive in markets or zoos in the Gaza Strip ranged from about 50 to 90cm. Compared to the carapace of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, which is more common in the Gaza Strip, the carapace of the Green Sea Turtle is slightly wider, and often appears more oval in shape. Green Sea Turtles have a relatively small, oval-shaped head with only one pair of prefrontal scales between the eyes (Figure 2), unlike other sea turtle species, which have more than one pair. The Green Sea Turtle’s front and back flippers have only one claw, while the Loggerhead Sea Turtle’s flippers have two. These paddle-like flippers are suitable for swimming. The front flippers are longer and often wing-like, while the hind flippers are shorter (Figure 2). Some stranded Green Sea Turtles have been found to harbor a small number of epibionts such as algae, barnacles, polychaetes, etc., growing on their shells. To clarify the most important points in which the Green Sea Turtle differs from the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, as they are the most widespread in the marine ecosystem in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, the researcher prepared Table 1 as follows.

Table 1:Differences between Green and Loggerhead sea turtles.

Green sea turtles nesting in the Gaza Strip

There were no reports or studies indicating that the Green Sea Turtle has been nesting on the beaches of the Gaza Strip during the past two or three decades, but there were doubts about its nesting before that. In fact, no one can rule out the possibility of a rare nesting and hatching of the Green Sea Turtle in the near future despite the environmental and developmental conditions present on the coast, as it was unlikely to happen for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, but this did happen in 2021.

Strandings of live and dead green sea turtles

Green Sea Turtles come in second place, and in much smaller numbers than Loggerhead Sea Turtles, as they are found stranded as live or dead specimens on the beaches of the Gaza Strip. Marine stakeholders believed that the dead Green Sea Turtles that washed up on the shores of the Gaza Strip died due to disease, collision with fishing boats, exposure to marine debris, or entanglement with plastic wastes, including damaged fishing nets, which caused them to suffocate and die. Information available in the field or from various local sources indicated that the number of strandings may reach from ten to twelve cases annually. Of course, the number is much higher for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Figure 3 shows two specimens of Green Sea Turtles stranded on the beaches of the Gaza Strip. The top image shows a relatively large live specimen stranded in Gaza City in 2012 and returned to the sea by two young men, while the bottom image shows a medium-sized dead specimen stranded in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip in 2012 and pulled to shore by children in Gaza with a rope tied around its neck.

Figure 3:Two specimens of Green Sea Turtles stranded on the beaches of the Gaza Strip: (A) A relatively large live specimen stranded in 2017 and returned to the sea by two young men, and (B) A medium-sized dead specimen stranded in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip in 2012 and pulled to shore by Gazan children with a rope tied around its neck.

Trade in green sea turtles

Sea turtle trade is a global phenomenon that threatens these endangered marine creatures. In the Gaza Strip, the trade is limited to the meat of adult individuals. Some Gazan fishermen catch sea turtles to sell them to the public in the fish markets in Gaza City or elsewhere. Since Green Sea Turtles are the second most widespread in the marine ecosystem of the Gaza Strip, they are vulnerable to capture by fishermen and trafficking. Some of the captured sea turtles were sold to local private zoos at very low prices. In some junk or antique shops in Gaza City, some carapaces of Green Sea Turtles were found for sale, as these bowls are mostly used as decorations inside Gazan homes.

Consumption of green sea turtles for food

Some species of sea turtles, including the Green Sea Turtles which are the second most common in the local marine ecosystem, are caught or by-caught in the Gaza Strip and sold in the fish markets in Gaza City or the Palestinian refugee camps for slaughter, cooking and eating. Some Gazans, a small minority, consider them delicious seafood and buy them for this purpose. In 2012, a painful incident occurred in front of the researcher and some shoppers in the Jabalia camp market in the northern Gaza Strip, where a young fish seller slaughtered a live specimen of a medium-sized Green Sea Turtle and cut off its front and back flippers in order to sell its meat to whoever wanted it (Figure 4).

Figure 4:A fishmonger slaughters a live Green Sea Turtle, cutting off its front and back flippers to sell its meat to shoppers at a market in Jabalia Refugee Camp, northern Gaza Strip, in 2012.

Green sea turtles at Gaza zoos and museums

Figure 5:A green sea turtle sits inside a wire cage containing a small pond at a Gaza zoo.

The field study found that some private zoos in the Gaza Strip housed some sea turtles, including Green Sea Turtles (Figure 2 & 5), after obtaining them at low prices from some fishermen or other Gazans. In most cases, these turtles faced the risk of certain death and did not live long due to poor captivity conditions in terms of shelter, lack of food, lack of proper veterinary care, etc. The study monitored the poor mummification of some dead turtles at Gaza zoos as well. In the same vein, some local universities mummified small-sized Green Sea Turtle specimens, and excluded relatively large ones from their museums for internal reasons related to space and technical matters.

Gaza Strip as a transit point for green sea turtles tracked by satellite in the Mediterranean

Several reports indicated that numbers of Green Sea Turtles equipped with satellite tracking and monitoring devices were released from Cyprus in 2000 and from Turkey in 2024 (Figure 6). They migrated across the Mediterranean Sea and crossed the waters of Syria, Lebanon and Palestine until they reached the Gaza Strip and then headed towards Lake Bardawil in North Sinai in Egypt, which is known as a feeding, growth or wintering habitat for sea turtles.

Figure 6:Green Sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) with satellite devices cover journey of 3,500km from Türkiye to the Gaza Strip in 50 days in 2024 (Source: [47]).

Local media coverage of stranded green sea turtles

Palestinian visual, audio and print media are always competing to cover news and reports related to large marine creatures, including giant sea turtles. The Green Sea Turtle is the second most common sea turtle in the local marine environment and the second most common stranded turtle on the 42km long Gaza Strip beach. The media usually conducts many interviews with those who find them alive or dead, or employees of the Directorate General of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture, or academics in Palestinian academic institutions, in the hope of clarifying their nature, the reasons for their catch, by-catch or stranding, and the threats they face locally and globally.

Reintroducing sea turtles to the marine habitat: A positive sign

In a positive and promising sign in the Gaza Strip, many Gazans and fishermen have begun returning sea turtles that washed up on the beach or were incidentally caught in fishing gear to the marine environment. This behavior applies to the two most common species in the marine ecosystem in the Gaza Strip: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle and the Green Sea Turtle. In some cases, some young people have purchased live specimens of these sea turtles to return them to their marine habitats (Figure 7), recognizing the threats facing these creatures locally and globally.

Figure 7:A young man bought a live small specimen of a Green Sea Turtle and returned it to its marine habitat, aware of the threats it faces locally and globally.

Threats facing green sea turtles in the Gaza Strip

Sea turtle species live in a wide range of seas and oceans around the world, and are therefore exposed to a wide range of risks and threats. In the Gaza Strip, despite its small area (365 km2) and limited coastline (42km) on the Mediterranean Sea, there are many threats facing Green Sea Turtles and other sea turtle species, which are dealt with as follows:
a) Fishing gear and bycatch: Fishing gear is defined as any equipment used to catch marine resources such as fish, invertebrates, etc. At the local level, these gears include surrounding nets, gillnets, trawls, longlines, hooks, lines, etc. In fact, bycatch poses a major threat to the three sea turtles recorded in the marine waters of the Gaza Strip; the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, the Green Sea Turtle, and the Leatherback Sea Turtle. Many Green Sea Turtles have been incidentally caught in local fishing gear during fishing operations, causing some of them to suffocate and eventually die.
b) Vessel strikes: Endangered sea turtles, especially those living on or near the surface, are at risk of collision with ships and boats, which can lead to injury or death. It is not unlikely that many sea turtles, especially Green Sea Turtles, that stranded on the beaches of the Gaza Strip and were injured or killed, have been injured by fishing boats of various shapes and sizes in the Gaza Strip, or by Israeli naval boats deployed off and near the coast of the Gaza Strip for security reasons, as the Israelis usually claim. In addition to fishing, some of these sea boats are used locally for tourism purposes, as they sail limited distances at sea to enrich the people of Gaza’s knowledge of their marine environment, and bring them pleasure, entertainment and psychological comfort, especially since they live a difficult life under the Israeli occupation that imposes a siege, wars and invasions that harm them and their fragile environment.
c) Consumption of sea turtles: In fact, it is not very common for Gazans to eat sea turtles, although they are widely eaten in both developing and developed countries, as many studies have shown. However, some Gazans, especially fishermen, may buy some sea turtles or use what they catch as food (Figure 4). Some Gazans may obtain sea turtle shells; mainly carapaces for decorative purposes (Figure 8).

Figure 8:The researcher displays a sea turtle shell (carapace) used for decorative purposes that was found in a fisherman’s hut on the beach in Gaza City in 2008.

d) Marine pollution: Marine pollution has serious effects on some marine organisms, including sea turtles. When environmental pollutants enter marine waters, they can contaminate and kill marine plants and animals that often provide food for sea turtles. In the Gaza Strip, most of the wastewater produced is discharged as raw or partially treated into the marine ecosystem, carrying organic matter, solid waste, toxins, and more. Plastic and nylon wastes can contribute to turtle mortality, and some toxins can accumulate and enter food chains that sea turtles may be part of.
e) Marine debris: Ingestion and/or Entanglement: It is believed locally that many species of sea turtles, including Green Sea Turtles, are killed by plastic debris that reaches the Mediterranean Sea from the terrestrial environment of the Gaza Strip. It is noteworthy that the Gaza Strip beach is usually filled with solid wastes as a result of its intensive use by the Gazans, especially in the summer. Local fishing boats may contribute to the problem of marine debris when they dump their wastes into the coastal sea. It is also worth noting that the Israeli occupation forces’ pursuit of fishermen and their boats at sea increases the size of the marine debris problem because boats may be targeted and destroyed and the destructive nets find their way into the sea waters. Although Green Sea Turtles are vegetarians and prefer seaweeds and algae as adults, their hatchlings, which have not yet been recorded in marine waters or the coasts of the Gaza Strip, are omnivores, eating jellyfish, snails, crabs, shrimp and so on. With regard to the other sea turtles species, they may swallow plastic bags by mistake, mistaking them for jellyfish and becoming sick or suffocating and dying. Sea turtles, including the Green Sea Turtles, may also become entangled in marine debris from abandoned or lost fishing gear and other types of wastes and plastic ropes, which also cause their death.

The Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) is of global importance as it is one of the largest; most threatened and most consumed sea turtles. Locally, the Green Sea Turtle is the second most captured or by-caught sea turtle, after the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, which is the most widespread in the marine waters of the Gaza Strip. It is also the most stranded on the beach, as explained by Abd Rabou [41]. Although Loggerhead Sea Turtle nesting and hatching were recorded in the Gaza Strip in 2021 [41], such nesting and hatching of Green Sea Turtles have not been recorded on the coasts of the Gaza Strip so far. Who knows, this may happen in the future, although the conditions are not entirely suitable for that. Other areas in the Mediterranean basin, with long coastlines, are known to provide probable suitable habitats for Green Sea Turtle nesting and hatching [4,15,27,47-59]. In the same context, hatchlings of Green Sea Turtles have not been observed, whether in the sea or even on the beach, due to the prevailing belief that this species does not nest here. What has been observed so far are medium or large-sized specimens? The results of the current study showed that sizes ranging from 30 to 90cm were recorded in the Gaza Strip as alive or dead. The presence of small specimens (30cm or slightly more) may be attributed to the dissolution of those individuals from other nesting places around the eastern Mediterranean basin by ocean currents and waves [15,60,61].

Green Sea Turtle specimens found or observed at several sites in the Gaza Strip closely match what has been described by researchers and authors in different parts of the world [7,11,54]. However, some local Green Sea Turtle specimens have been observed to have epibionts growing on their shells. When compared to the quantities of epibionts growing on the shells of the Loggerhead Sea Turtles, they grow in greater numbers and greater diversity in the latter as have been locally observed by Abd Rabou [41]. In fact, the growth of such epibionts, mainly barnacles, on the shells of Green Sea Turtles and other turtle species has been diagnosed worldwide in various specialized studies [54,62-64], etc. Casale et al. [65] and Collareta et al. [66] pointed out that sea turtles play as basibionts and exhibit a wide and diverse range of epibiotic symbionts, including the turtle barnacles (Cirripedia). Colonization by barnacles can negatively impact sea turtle health, particularly by increasing the hydrodynamic drag and body weight of host turtles [67]. Healthy turtles can usually overcome this type of burden, but sick turtles often experience a decrease in active behaviors (i.e., swimming and self-grooming), which can lead to increased barnacle loads [68].

In fact, zoos and perhaps some exhibitions held outside the borders of Palestinian universities that may sometimes bring live specimens of Green Sea Turtles and cage them in miserable conditions, only know that they are sea turtles and do not mention anything about their common English or Latin scientific names. For this reason and other scientific reasons, this current study came to shed light on the Green Sea Turtle, as two recent studies have taken the initiative to address the two sea turtles, the Loggerhead and the Leatherback [41,42]. It is worth mentioning that identifying and addressing the three species (Loggerhead, Leatherback and Green) in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea of the Gaza Strip would pave the way for clearly identifying other visiting species that may be seen, caught or even stranded on the beaches of the Gaza Strip in the future. This does not seem unlikely given that the Mediterranean Sea is known to be home to six out of the globally known seven species of sea turtles, some of which have appeared in Mediterranean countries [69-71].

The relatively high mortality rate among stranded Green Sea Turtles may be due to the turtles’ interaction with local fishing gear. Many local fishing gears such as nets, hooks, etc. may have high bycatch rates. The mortality rate may also be linked to Green Sea Turtle collisions with local or Israeli boats of various sizes, shapes, and functions operating in the Gaza Strip’s marine waters (Figure 9). In fact, the marine environment in the Gaza Strip is rich with different types of fishing boats, with their number exceeding 1,500. Abd Rabou [41,42] explained that the same scenarios were proposed for other species of sea turtles in the Gaza Strip. Similar explanations were proposed by Belmahi et al. [13] who found that sea turtle strandings were the result of bycatch by artisanal fisheries, followed by boat collisions. The problem of Green Sea Turtles colliding with ships and boats is accelerating in different seas and causing their death globally in a frightening manner, as several studies have shown [3,72-80].

Figure 9:A large number of fishing boats of various sizes, shapes, and functions operating in the marine waters of the Gaza Strip.

Sea turtles are sometimes seen in zoos and museums around the world, where they are kept in aquariums that provide all the environmental and living requirements, and this is a positive sign for educating the public about these globally threatened and beloved creatures [81]. Many museums in Egypt house live specimens of sea turtles, including Green Sea Turtles, in their aquariums, which were very beautiful and attracted many visitors (Personal Observations). Gaza’s zoos lack the aquariums found in modern zoos and museums, and as a result, captive turtles do not live long, lacking adequate survival factors such as food, veterinary care, space, and deep water pools in which they can move freely. In contrast, the pools in Gaza’s zoos are small and shallow and contain fresh water, not sea water. There are no institutions in the Gaza Strip capable of providing rescue, veterinary care, rehabilitation and release back into the wild for sea turtle species as is the case in reserves and rescue centers spread across some countries of the world [82-87]. The return of some sea turtle specimens to their marine habitats, despite their positive nature, is only individual work.

The trade in sea turtles in the Gaza Strip is not large and does not generate much interest. Live sea turtles that are by-caught, or washed up on Gaza beach are rarely sold for their meat or sold for display in zoos. Globally, Green Sea Turtles are prized reptiles for their meat, shells and skins [88]. Trade in sea turtles for consumption or other uses has also been reported in various countries around the world [89-94]. In populous Egypt, the country closest to the Gaza Strip, there has been a market trade in a variety of sea turtle species, including Green Sea Turtles, for human consumption, a trade that is of great concern as evidenced by several studies [95-100]. Hence, the role of Palestinian media, including social media, in covering incidents of sea turtle stranding or capture in the Gaza Strip is evident, which somewhat enhances the protection of these gentle creatures. Studies on media coverage and urging communities to protect sea turtles appear important and promising globally [56,101,102].

Since sea turtles of all species are endangered globally, the role of local media coverage becomes desirable and necessary to limit the pursuit of these marine creatures, or even to release them back into their marine habitats after being by-caught or stranded. Globally, there are many studies that show the importance of media in all its forms in raising people’s awareness of respecting sea turtles and preserving them in a sustainable fashion [102,103]. This media coverage has encouraged many Gazans to return the lucky sea turtles to their natural habitat in the Mediterranean, as Abd Rabou [41] recently noted. This is of course a positive and promising indicator towards the preservation of sea turtles locally, regardless of the political, military, social and economic challenges that Gazans always face under the Israeli occupation, siege and wars. Such approaches have been used to restore and conserve sea turtles in their marine habitats all over the world with promising results [1,104].

The coastal Gaza Strip is not isolated from the world’s coastal countries with regard to the threats facing sea turtles, especially Green Sea Turtles, which have sometimes been recorded as living or dead specimens in marine waters or on the beach. In fact, bycatch poses a major threat to sea turtles that incidentally fall into various fishing gear, leading to their capture or death. This type of bycatch is not a local problem, but a global problem that threatens marine species, whether sea turtles or other endangered mammals and fish around the world. This can be inferred from the number of studies that indicate the impact of bycatch on the lives and numbers of sea turtles in coastal countries around the world [105-113].

The relatively large number of dying sea turtles encountered at Gaza beaches may be a direct result of their ingestion of hazardous plastic materials, including nylon bags, which sea turtles may mistake for jellyfish, suffocate upon swallowing, become ill and die as pointed out by local studies [36,38,40,41,42]. In the same context, a large number of Gazan fishermen lost many of their fishing tools, such as nets, long lines and hooks, due to the harassment of the Israeli occupation and the bombing of their boats carrying fishing nets from time to time, which makes them part of the marine debris and causes problems for sea turtles. In addition, a few Gazan fishermen have a habit of throwing their damaged or torn nets into the sea, which adds to the disaster itself. All of these incidents contribute to sea turtles becoming entangled in them and then dying. Many international and regional studies seem to agree with these findings regarding the threat posed by marine debris to various species of sea turtles [114-124].

Several reports have indicated that many Green Sea Turtles equipped with satellite tracking devices from Cyprus and Turkey, in 2020 and 2024 respectively (see Figure 6), have crossed the waters of Palestine and from there to the Gaza Strip, heading for Egypt [47,125,126]. Indeed, the Gaza Strip is a transit and sometimes stranding point for many giant or threatened marine mammals and reptiles [37,38]. There is no better evidence of this than the arrival of a live specimen of the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus Hermann, 1779), also tracked by satellite from Turkey, to the coast of Palestine, and then passing through and settling for a few days off the coast of the Gaza Strip before heading to the coasts of Egypt, as confirmed by Abd Rabou [127] and Abd Rabou et al. [128].

The current study sheds light on important aspects related to the Green Sea Turtle in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. This species ranks second in sea turtle strandings, bycatch, and even human consumption—despite its rarity—after the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (the most common in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gaza Strip). To date, no Green Sea Turtle nesting or hatching has been recorded on the beaches of the Gaza Strip. Media coverage of Green Sea Turtle strandings and other sea turtle species is important and promising, as it contributes to the return of some live specimens to their habitats after bycatch or stranding. This is a positive sign for the Gazans. The threats facing sea turtles in the Gaza Strip in general are not significantly different from what is occurring globally and regionally. After this tour that focused on the status of Green Sea Turtles in the Gaza Strip, the current study concludes with strong recommendations for the protection and conservation of globally endangered sea turtles, the need to raise ecological awareness especially among fishermen and not to harm them, and to intensify scientific studies on their biology and ecology in the marine ecosystem of the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

I would like to thank the staff of the General Directorate of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture and all the concerned parties, including Gazan fishermen, whom I met and spoke with in the Gaza Strip during the succeeding stages of this study, who provided me with valuable information and technical support that enriched this modest study.

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