On Monday, October 6th, 36 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were released at La Marina beach in Elche (Alicante). They were born in 2024 from two nests that were found last summer on the Elche coast. The specimens, which have been at the Oceanogràfic de València for a year, went into the sea on World Habitat Day.
Pablo Ruz, the Mayor of Elche; María Bonmatí, the Councillor for Education; José Antonio Román, the Councillor for the Environment; Mari Carmen Molina, the District Councillor of La Marina; and Beatriz Dominguez, representing the Oceanogràfic Foundation, were all there. Also there were residents, schoolchildren, Oceanogràfic technicians, and environmental volunteers.
“Life should not be missing from the water; it should be full of it. The mayor said, “Today we reaffirm Elche’s commitment to conservation and the future of our beaches.” He also said that “the presence of turtles is the best sign” that the Elche coastline is “pristine,” “natural,” and “full of life” that “must continue to be cared for and protected.”
The Oceanogràfic said in a statement that Elche was one of the “key” breeding sites for loggerhead turtles in the Valencian Community during the summer of 2024, with two nests found. The first nest was found near Arenales del Sol in mid-June. A few days later, a second nest appeared in the same place, proving “the ecological value of the Elche coast for the species.”
As usual, some of the nests were transported to the Oceanogràfic’s controlled incubators “to ensure their development,” while the remainder stayed on the beach under the watchful eye of volunteers.
The turtles stayed at the Valencia aquarium for a year after they hatched. During that time, they got special food, their environment was monitored, and they got veterinary care. The goal of this portion of the Head Starting program is to “increase the survival rate of the hatchlings during the most vulnerable stages of their development, before being returned to the wild a year later.”
Beatriz Dominguez, who is in charge of the Oceanogràfic Foundation, said, “This is a historic event for the Valencian Community because there are more loggerhead turtle nests on its coasts every year.”
Dominguez said, “With this program, we’re raising the species’ survival rate in the wild to over 90 percent, making sure that this iconic species stays on our coasts.”
Students from La Marina Primary School also took part in the event on Monday. They listened to Oceanogràfic Foundation specialists explain the biology and conservation of the species.
The 36 hatchlings were taken to the sea by volunteer groups that worked together to preserve the nests and local inhabitants. Elche ends the 2024 season for releasing marine turtles born in the Valencian Community with this release.
Author: Derek Appleton
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