10.1594/PANGAEA.965691Duncan, Emily MEmily MDuncan0000-0001-9516-7097Deniz Akbora, HasanHasanDeniz AkboraBaldi, PatriziaPatriziaBaldiBeton, DamlaDamlaBetonBroderick, Annette CAnnette CBroderick0000-0003-1444-1782Cicek, Burak AliBurak AliCicekCrowe-Harland, CharlotteCharlotteCrowe-HarlandDavey, SophieSophieDaveyDeSerisy, TessTessDeSerisyFuller, Wayne JWayne JFullerHaywood, Julia CJulia CHaywood0000-0002-0580-6527Hsieh, Yu JouYu JouHsiehKaya, EcemEcemKayaOmeyer, Lucy C MLucy C MOmeyer0000-0002-1084-0578Ozkan, MeryemMeryemOzkanPalmer, Josie LJosie LPalmerRoast, EmmaEmmaRoastSantillo, DavidDavidSantilloSchneider, M JesseM JesseSchneiderSnape, Robin T ERobin T ESnapeSutherland, Katrina CKatrina CSutherlandGodley, Brendan JBrendan JGodley0000-0003-3845-0034PANGAEA2024bioindicatorsMarine Debrismarine turtlesPlastic litterPlastic pollutionDATE/TIMECurved carapace lengthPolyethylenePolypropylenePolyamideNylonPolyvinyl chloridePolystyrenePolyisoprene chlorinatedPolymethylmethacrylatPolydimethylsiloxanePolyhexanidePolyundecanoamideFourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)2012-12-01T00:00:00/2022-10-05T00:00:00Dataset10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.11614110.1038/s41598-019-48086-410.3389/fmars.2021.69952110.1016/j.marenvres.2014.02.00310.1016/j.envpol.2011.06.008408 data pointstext/tab-separated-valuesCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 InternationalObservations of investigations for plastic ingestion in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), stranded or bycaught on the coastline of North Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean). A total of 135 loggerhead turtles were sampled spanning a period of 11 years (2012-2022). During necropsy, the entire gastrointestinal tract was removed and initial contents weighed. The contents were grossly examined then rinsed through a 1 mm mesh sieve to separate and remove the plastic for classification and dietary items for storage and analysis. Ingested plastic was classified using a system outlined in Duncan et al. (2019, doi:10.1038/s41598-019-48086-4; 2021, doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.699521) which builds upon the Fulmar Protocol and MSFD (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) Marine Litter Report 2011 (Descriptor 10) toolkits (Galgani et al., 2014, doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2014.02.003; van Franeker et al., 2011, doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2011.06.008).