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First loggerhead turtles of the year born in the Region of Murcia
The hatchlings will be raised in the El Valle Wildlife Recovery Centre, Murcia, until they’re old enough to be released
The first loggerhead turtles of the year have hatched in the Region of Murcia. The tiny turtles, weighing in at just 15 grams, emerged from their shells on Saturday afternoon, September 14. These endangered turtles were originally laid in a nest located in the area of El Pedruchillo, La Manga del Mar Menor.
The nest, which was relocated from El Pedruchillo beach on July 22, contained 101 eggs, 10 of which were transferred to the El Valle Protected Fauna Recovery Centre for controlled incubation. After 53 days, 53 babies have hatched so far, and photos show that they’re already eager to make their way to the seashore.
The turtles will be transferred to the El Valle Wildlife Recovery Centre to assess their health and begin their journey to the sea. They'll spend the next year in captivity, gaining weight and strength, before being released back into their natural habitat.
Over the next couple of days, a further 39 turtle eggs are expected to hatch. These are being kept under 24-hour surveillance by volunteers from ‘Territorio Tortuga’ in La Manga and environmental officers from the Civil Protection of San Javier.
Once born, these babies will also be transferred to the centre for a complete check-up, including weighing and measuring, before they begin feeding.
Raising the turtles in captivity for around 12 months is an important step in ensuring the survival of the species and it’s a vital role which is shared with neighbouring communities. Several of the Murcia hatchlings will remain in the Region, but some will also be temporarily housed in the Centre for the Recovery of Marine Species in Barcelona, the Laboratory for Marine Research and Aquaculture in Mallorca and the Oceanogràfic in Valencia.
The Region of Murcia has been working hard to protect the loggerhead turtle population, and it's paying off. Since 2019, 178 loggerhead turtle births have been recorded in the Region, with 118 already released back into the wild.
The remaining turtles will be released in the coming days, equipped with identification chips and GPS geolocation transmitters to study their migratory habits.
Image: CARM
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