D-day for seven loggerhead turtles

Seven loggerhead turtles seemed to be flapping their flippers in joy as they were released into the open sea off Grand Harbour yesterday (picture).

The turtles had been nursed back to health after fishermen hooked them accidentally.

The release to freedom, attended by Environment Minister George Pullicino, was carried out by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the Malta Centre for Fisheries Sciences. A group of about 60 children from Xummiemu Club witnessed the event.

The children were told of the importance of protecting turtles and the dangers these faced as they struggled for survival.

The turtles - some of which needed an operation - were tagged before being returned to their natural habitat with the assistance of the Civil Protection Department.

Apart from accidental captures, another threat to marine turtles is pollution, particularly from marine debris, especially plastic, which these creatures mistake for food.

Other threats include collisions and mishaps with boats or other vessels and depletion of food resources.

Mr Pullicino said that even though turtles no longer nested in Malta, the country's role was still quite crucial in their conservation because it had to protect the population that migrated through local seas.

Information/educational campaigns and research over the past decade has increased public awareness on turtle conservation, resulting in the drafting or signing of protective national, regional and global legislation.

Mepa's nature protection unit was implementing a programme which consisted in the application of individual identification tags stuck to the turtle's flipper. These tags provide invaluable information on their growth, behaviour and movement if recaptured and such data forwarded to the unit.

The programme is being carried out in collaboration with the Fisheries Department and the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas in Tunisia.

Marine turtles are ancient migratory reptiles that have been in existence for more then 100 million years. Of all the species found in the world's oceans, only two breed in the Mediterranean. A five species found in the Mediterranean have been recorded here with the most common being the loggerhead.

Turtles are threatened with extinction, mainly because of their life cycle and the fact that females attain maturity at the age of 20 years or over. They live up to about 50 years.

Few sandy beaches remain in the Mediterranean where the turtles can nest safely.

The assistant director of the nature protection unit, Alfred Baldacchino, said marine turtles used to nest at Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo and at Sta Maria Bay in Comino up to about 100 years ago.

Although each nest may contain an average of 80 to 90 eggs only one to two per cent attained adulthood.

Anyone coming across turtles that are injured or are in need of attention should call 9921 0404, 7949 6320, 2290 6008, 2290 0000, or 265 5525.