We participated in the release of 49 loggerhead turtles into the sea
- A total of 49 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) have been released on the beach of Puerto Banús, in Marbella
- The release ceremony, in which we have participated, is the culmination of the conservation project for this vulnerable species, of which only 1 in every 1,000 hatchlings survive the first year of life
- The five turtle hatchlings that Selwo Marina has taken in continue in the park, enjoying attentive care until their next release in August
Head-Starting's action to collaborate in the survival of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) has passed a new chapter in its history. A total of 49 turtles, housed in different institutions, have been released on the beach of Puerto Banús. The release of the five turtle hatchlings housed in Selwo Marina will take place next month. This group comes from a nest discovered a year ago on the beach of El Rodeito in Marbella.
In the words of Alberto Martín, director of Selwo Costa del Sol, for us it has been ‘a process of several years collaborating with the Junta de Andalucía’, in which we have designed the best possible facilities to accommodate these turtles in this phase of the project. Thanking all the institutions for their commitment and joint work, he stressed that ‘we hope that in the coming years more turtles will come to lay their eggs in the area’, something which is becoming increasingly frequent, given the exceptional nature of the project.
Barely 1 out of every 1,000 turtles survive their first year of life, which is why Selwo Marina has joined this important project in favour of a species of sea turtle classified as Vulnerable (VU) to extinction. This action is carried out within the Head-Starting Programme for loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings of the Department of Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy, dependent on the Andalusian Regional Government. The initiative, endorsed by the Spanish Society of Herpetology, has been carried out by a technical team from the Oceanogràfic and is financed by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
Cooperation between zoos, aquariums and oceanographic and reference institutions such as the Centre for the Management of the Marine Environment of the Strait (CEGMA), together with volunteers, security forces and public collaboration, are key to the success of each hatchling.
Moreover, the work does not end here: in this case, ten turtles are carrying a radio-marking device that will allow them to be monitored and studied in order to learn about their first steps in the natural environment.
The delegate for Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy in Malaga, José Antonio Víquez, participated in the release, the culmination of the 2023-2024 breeding and release season, as well as part of the volunteers of the ProDunas Marbella association, who, in the words of the delegate ‘took care of keeping the nest in perfect condition for so many days, morning, afternoon and night, until the eggs hatched’, so that the laying was a success. The councillor for the Environment and Beaches of the Marbella Town Hall, Diego López, also thanked the volunteers, Civil Protection, Local Police and Firefighters for their work and collaboration.
Our colleague Craig Allum, head of conservation at Selwo Marina, could not hide his excitement at the time of the release due to his involvement in our participation in the project. Under the care of his team, five hatchlings continue to grow stronger in our park until they are ready for their life in the marine environment, having almost passed their first year of life since they were born at just 6 centimetres and 17 grams.
Some of the students from CEI Pinolivo also collaborated in the release, as well as members of teams from other collaborating zoos and aquariums and Cali, the mongrel dog that discovered the nest from which this group of turtles was born last year, taking with her human all the attention of those present. According to sources from the Junta de Andalucía, this is the fourth nest known in Andalusia in the last 15 years, a phenomenon which, fortunately, is on the increase along the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
