EKAD 

is a non-profit NGO established by academics specialized in biodiversity and nature conservation. Working in cooperation with universities, ministries, municipalities, private enterprises and other NGO's, our mission has always been to explain, teach and spread the concepts of ecological awareness and sustainable biodiversity.

EKAD has carried out monitoring and conservation studies on many sea turtle nesting beaches in Turkey. Belek (Antalya) has become EKAD's trademark, as we have been monitoring sea turtle nests and raising awareness in this region continuously for the past 25 years, with an ever-growing family of national and international volunteers. It is one of the two largest nesting sites for the Mediterranean subpopulation of Caretta caretta, with average annual nest numbers over 3,000.

Carrying out a nature conservation study in a world-renowned tourism center comes with significant challenges. This is why EKAD attaches great importance to supplementing its field studies with educational practices to raise environmental awareness; elaborating on risks on endangered species and their natural habitats, possible causes and impacts, and feasible solutions.

Volunteers stay at a well-established and perfectly secure camp site, receive trainings, and participate in EKAD's studies. They will seize the opportunity to witness and experience all aspects of a nature conservation study, including the impact of human pressure on marine and coastal ecosystems, and the typical problems of a tourism center built along a sea turtle nesting beach.

Photos by ©ekad
https://ekad.org.tr/en/home/