Nuca, the turtle rescued two months ago in Torrevieja, returns to the sea

Nuca, the sea turtle that was rescued in February of last year after becoming ensnared in the port of Torrevieja (Alicante), returned to the sea yesterday, Thursday May 8th, after finishing her recovery process at the Oceanogràfic de Valèncià’s ARCA del Mar.

According to a council statement, the mayor, Eduardo Dolón; the councillor for the Environment and Beaches, Antonio Vidal; the municipal biologist, Juan Antonio Pujol; the president of the Real Club Náutico Torrevieja (RCNT), Carlos Carmona; and the veterinary team from the Oceanogràfic Foundation participated in the release from a boat in the waters off Torrevieja.

The municipal biologist and the RCNT were commended by Dolón for their efforts in recovering Nuca, as well as the Oceanogràfic team, for enabling the turtle to return to the waters from which she was rescued. He anticipates that she will soon return to the Torrevieja coast to deposit her eggs on one of its beaches.

A delicate rescue and a complete recovery

Earlier this year, the turtle, which has been named Nuca, was discovered swimming within the port of Torrevieja. Subsequently, they ensnared it and found it consuming the remnants of fishing activity.

The severity of its condition was confirmed by the capture of the animal, which was conducted by specialised divers from the Oceanogràfic Foundation with the assistance of the municipal biologist and the Real Club Náutico Torrevieja. A previous injury had amputated one of its fins, and a hook had lodged in its oesophagus.

After his transfer, the Oceanogràfic veterinary team used an endoscopy to remove the hook and started treatment to ensure his recovery. The positive development of Nuca in the past few months served as confirmation that he was capable of returning to the sea.

Veterinarians implanted a satellite transmitter into him prior to his immersion in the water, which will enable them to track his movements in real time. The objective is to gather data on his movements following rehabilitation and analyse his behaviour to enhance the protection strategies for this species.

The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge is supporting this conservation initiative within the framework of the PRTR, which is funded by the European Union-NextGeneration EU.