Karpaz Research Station launched
Centre to boost studies of sea turtles, birds and wild donkeys
THE Karpaz Research Station, designated for extensive research on various subjects including turtles, migratory birds, and wild donkeys, has been inaugurated on Ronnas Beach, one of the most crucial nesting sites for sea turtles.
An official opening ceremony took place on Friday last week. Turkish Ambassador to Lefkosa Metin Feyzioğlu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and the Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, Tika (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency) vice president Rahman Nurdun and Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute director Kemal Basat were among the notable figures who attended.
There were speeches followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the site.
The initiative has transformed the former camping area, traditionally used for seasonal turtle work, into a fully equipped station featuring infrastructure and prefabricated buildings capable of accommodating up to 24 individuals.
It serves as a hub for year-round research and monitoring across diverse environmental domains.
Established through collaborative efforts involving the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute, Tika, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Erenköy-Karpaz Municipality, the station aims to play a pivotal role in safeguarding the Karpaz peninsula.
Initially conceived to provide centralised support for sea turtle monitoring and protection endeavours conducted at the Cyprus Marine Life Centre under the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute, the Karpaz Research Station now expands its scope to encompass broader conservation initiatives.
Despite receiving applications from 300-500 volunteers representing 55-60 countries annually for the Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Project, limited accommodation confines the hosting capacity to only 120 volunteers.
Operated by the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute, the Donkey Management Project’s field operations targeting wild donkeys in the Karpaz region will also utilise the facilities of the Karpaz Research Station.
Furthermore, the station will serve as a focal point for bird migration studies, observing the tens of thousands of birds that make Cyprus a stopover during their annual migratory journey. Its operations will be ongoing throughout the year.
Beyond turtle research, the station will conduct investigations into migratory bird patterns and create three-dimensional coastal maps to monitor any alterations.