Turtle eggs excavated
The turtle eggs in Gnejna were excavated today after initial investigations showed they died.
The eggs were excavated by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in collaboration with Nature Trust and the security section of the Resources Ministry.
Mepa said in a statement that initial investigations show that the embryos died at a late stage of development, probably because of limited intake of air resulting from a number of natural factors.
The investigation indicated that the layer of water-retaining blue clay underneath the sand became water-logged as a result of water from underneath the nest. The eggs in the bottom layer became imbued with water resulting in the asphyxiation of the embryos developing inside it. Moreover, the nesting chamber was deprived of air as a consequence of this accumulated high humidity and related water saturation.
The authority uncovered the sand and excavated the nest today, the 79th day from when the turtle nested at Gnejna.
A marine turtle’s nest normally takes 50-68 days to hatch, although later hatching dates have also been reported in rarer cases (depending on sand temperature).
Officials on site checked other sand areas in the bay, confirming that the blue clay was also water-logged in such areas.
In the coming days, the authority will be sending a sample of the recovered embryos to an international laboratory for DNA testing.
It thanked stakeholders who positively contributed and ensured that the maximum level of protection and co-operation was maintained during the hatching period.
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Marvin Muscat
Sep 9th 2012, 10:45
Din gzira ohra fil-Mediterran, x'differenza!!!
http://phys.org/news/2012-09-cyprus-safe-haven-turtles.html
Mr Bartolo Edward
Sep 8th 2012, 12:16
Why didn't the eggs were placed in an artificial incubator to increase the probability that they hatch?
Mark Spiteri
Sep 8th 2012, 11:24
Imbasta kollna esperti w nature trust u x'naf jien! Wara kollox ahna hawn Malta x'esperjenza ghandna fil- tfaqqis tal-bajd tal-fkieren jekk l-ahhar li biedet fekruna hawn Malta hadd minn dawn l-esperti ma kien ghadu twieled?! Bhal li kieku l-fekruna ma kienitx taf fejn ghandna tbid!!! Imma hawn hafna nies bravi f'dal-pajjiz!
Joseph Ellul
Sep 8th 2012, 09:57
At least the locals did not dig out the eggs and sell them as a delicacy as they do in South America, North and South Africa. Certian beaches should be OFF LIMITS all year round. This will give the turtles a chance to replenish. Just give peace a chance.
K Mizzi
Sep 8th 2012, 09:32
Seriously MEPA has nothing better to do? If you have extra enforcer officers in Malta please send them to Gozo as those here (if there are any) are never seen when reports are made.
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Sep 8th 2012, 08:41
Some weeks ago Mepa gave some reasons why the eggs may not hatch, but failed to mention the messing up of mother nature a a possible reason of failure.
I did mention in the blogs at that time that there is a great possibility that the handling of the eggs could be a reason for the failure.
I was criticized, but apparently from the blogs below the majority are in line with my assumptions. Therefore Mepa should see to it that any future laying of eggs will be protected from human interference and the following suggestions should be implemented.
1. A legal notice to be issued to stop any one including Mepa personnell from handling such eggs.
2. Fines should be in place for any human interference in the process of the hatching.
3. The nest should be cordoned off from any interference.
The problem in this case that apparently no one is accountable although the eggs may be inspected to eliminate at least that these were fertilised or not.
May I draw the attention of Mepa that one turtle dove caught extra to bag limit may land the hunter in court and tens of baby turtles destroyed by Mepa go scot free. How is that for a comparison?
George Reeves
Sep 8th 2012, 09:55
Henry, I agree with all you are saying. To make sure any future eggs would be safe, a heavy stone barrier should be constructed round the eggs except for the 33% that is facing the sea, that way the eggs would be protected from any water that runs down the hill to the sea, also would allow any young that did hatch, they could head straight for the sea, also the newly laid eggs wouldn't have to be touched by ANYONE, even the professionals!!!
Ms.D. Galea
Sep 8th 2012, 12:04
Hear Hear.
L aqwa li jigu il-barranin u jithallew itajjru id-Drones fl aria taghna halli jispijaw fuq il Maltin!
Brian Farrugia
Sep 8th 2012, 06:58
Hope we learn a lesson , maybe in 60 years time , we wont repeat the same mistakes.
Lawrence Fenech
Sep 8th 2012, 04:14
Halluna x'bajtu tbabsu fiehom, indhaltu fejn ma jesakhomx il-fekruna tiefhem izjed minkom min jaf kemm il-darba biedet.
James Tyrrell
Sep 8th 2012, 02:33
If the eggs had been left where they were laid they would have washed out to sea a month ago. The mother did not lay them where she wanted to because she was prevented from doing so by a bunch of people with cameras blocking her way. So yes, humans were responsible for the eggs not hatching but not the ones most of the people here are blaming. Try and understand that hard as it may be to some!
Jack James
Sep 8th 2012, 13:51
Thank you for your sensible comment.
A Grech
Sep 8th 2012, 01:02
Good job MEPA / Nature Trust.... Good Job Indeed. You Just killed 79 rare future turtles. When I originally said that the eggs where rotated and positioned bad many users did not agree and said leave it to the experts. I am no expert but I breed reptiles and the worst thing to do to a reptile egg is to rotate it. It turned out I was right, The embryo drowned in the egg + they where too deep from the surface so less ventilation. Next Time please Trust Nature dear 'Nature Trust', don't underestimate mother nature!
Kurt Mifsud
Sep 8th 2012, 10:08
But humans are superior to any other living creature eh! Yeah sure... the almighty homo sapiens
David Vella
Sep 7th 2012, 23:08
To my mind this turtle blundered, mush have lost it's bearings laying on our shores!!
Should have followed other turtles' instead, where nature is not hampered with.
Charles Darwin
Sep 7th 2012, 23:03
@Jack James : My argument is valid regardless of the root cause, be it people lying around, excessive lighting etc. As a consequence of what you are saying it would not be possible for mother nature to evolve a turtle that has the ability to postpone egg laying indefinitely...which I am sure is not the case. mother nature punished this turtle's genome because the turtle was under duress and had to lay the eggs in a wrong place, hence mother nature is not allowing proliferation of this genome, and turtles who might have a better capability of withholding egg laying would eventually rule...so again let us leave evolution to regulate these processes.
Julia Benedict
Sep 8th 2012, 10:12
Mother nature "punished this turtle's genome"? I am confused by this - what do you mean by "mother nature" because you use mother nature and evolution interchangably to mean the same thing. Evolution is not capable of 'punishing' anyone or anything because it is a scientific theory, not a person. Evolution is not responsible, humans are as they placed the turtle under duress. If you are talking about survival of the fittest, then it's not the same as personifying nature as a being that punishes unfortunate turtles.
Jack James
Sep 8th 2012, 13:56
Charles Darwin, you still deeply misunderstand evolution.
Irena Shuke
Sep 7th 2012, 21:12
It's sad, RIP babies... It just wasn't meant to be, but truly everyone tried their best and to the best of their knowledge and abilities. It was amazing to see all the collective effort put into helping these beautiful God's creatures, and it shows how many compassionate people there are in the world and on the island.
Ms.D. Galea
Sep 7th 2012, 21:04
How presumptious of the experts to assume that they know better then the mother turtle whose instinct of survival took zillions of years to evolve.
Ms.D. Galea
Sep 7th 2012, 21:00
Next time , dear experts, please trust nature and dont presume to know more then the natural instinct of that mother turtle who knows where best to lay her eggs to ensure that as many as possible will eventually survive.
As it is, you lot butted in and thanks to you , not a single one survived.
K Grech
Sep 7th 2012, 23:00
Fully agree :)
But these "experts" have an experts title so they had the sovereignty over these eggs :/
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 23:34
Please note that the turtle did not place them where she would naturally have placed them. This obession with an all knowing "mother nature" is ridiculous. Mother nature was taken out of the equation when onlookers gathered around the turtle as she nested.
anthony sultana
Sep 7th 2012, 20:13
They was buried too deep ,The turtles never buried the eggs that deep,A big natural disaster, so many turtles died, very sad history indeed.
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 23:37
Can you please provide some evidence for these claims.
Kurt Mifsud
Sep 8th 2012, 10:11
@Jack - Ever heard of google? Just a 30sec search
Julia Benedict
Sep 8th 2012, 10:32
Ahh, Google - if you found it there, it must be true!
andreana attard
Sep 7th 2012, 19:12
If the eggs had indeed hatched, everybody would be congratulating the people who relocated them and nobody would be saying "stop messing with nature". I'm sure the environmentalists did their best. Anyhow, we can stop messing with nature if we left beaches clean and quiet - human intrusion is the real messing with nature - just look at the plastic bottles, charcoal and other messes left behind on natural beaches.
Raymond Sacco
Sep 8th 2012, 06:13
No, we wouldn't have congratulated anyone! Was it the disruption of the eggs through noises and human presense the only reason for the eggs to be removed? They have in fact been disrupted big time by being removed! Or was it the real reason not to dirsrupt the usual business at Gnejna? So we have to decide what comes first. If it's the cash, let the turtle lay it's eggs and let them be, whatever the outcome! If it's nature, then let the eggs stay where they were laid and close down the area, But the eggs should have never been displaced!
Kurt Mifsud
Sep 8th 2012, 10:13
@Adreana - If I could fly by just flapping my hands everyone would be amazed. Ever going to happen? NO. Same point with your argument
Paul Caruana
Sep 7th 2012, 18:51
With the benefit of hindsight, it would have been better to transfer the eggs to an incubator, where they could have been monitored under carefully controlled conditions! Sure, it would not have been natural, but it would have allowed for the hatching of at least some of the eggs!
Joe Fenech
Sep 8th 2012, 00:10
Seems very obvious, but our experts as usual did not think about it!
M. Zammit
Sep 7th 2012, 18:43
I am no expert but I think the hole where the eggs were placed was too deep for air circulation!
Experts my foot.... watch this video of eggs in the process of hatching and you will see that the eggs are near the sand surface not buried.... from what I can calculate, more than a foot below the top of the sand.
http://www.arkive.org/loggerhead-turtle/caretta-caretta/video-09d.html
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 23:46
The average depth for loggerhead turtle nests, to the bottom, is 50.9 cm. Before we jump to conclusions, lets find out the actual depth of the excavated nest. Have you sought this informtion?
M. Zammit
Sep 8th 2012, 10:21
Dear James,
the picture of the eggs being excavated is right on top of the article... what more evidence do you need. Look at the video of the eggs being excavated... unbelievable! Is that how the turtle laid them? I do not need to seek the information as the Times provided a photo!!!!
D Borg
Sep 7th 2012, 18:36
If it was deemed that the original location was not adequate and than relocation was the only way forward....
I said then and I resay it now, that it would have been logical and wiser to have the eggs relocated in a few 'secluded' areas in other bays as well, say Ramla, Comino (Sta. Maria), Mgiebah.
My corncern however is the crude way in which they were dug up and 'manhandled' - surely there are better ways to go about it.
Mr Michael Debono
Sep 7th 2012, 18:21
Experts have intruded on nature by burying the eggs themselves. The mother knew better where to lay its eggs.
Don't interfere with nature is the lesson.
James Tyrrell
Sep 8th 2012, 02:27
Read the original story and stop talking rubbish.
Ramona Debono
Sep 7th 2012, 18:16
Never mess with Mother Nature!!
Charles Darwin
Sep 7th 2012, 17:36
Look at it this way, mother turtle laid the eggs in the wrong spot (whatever the reason). Mother nature punished this wrong move by 'killing' all descendants. That is what mother nature has been doing for eons, let's not intervene otherwise we would have another group of mother turtles doing the wrong move.
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 18:45
You have neglected to remember that it was the presence of people on the beach which forced the turtle to lay her eggs in the wrong place. You also misunderstand evolution - the fact that she laid her eggs in the wrong place (under duress) is not coded in her DNA!
Toni Borg
Sep 7th 2012, 17:07
The reason the eggs did not hatch is because they were removed from their original birthing place!
If MEPA thinks it knows more than mother nature than let this be a lesson!!!
J. Vella
Sep 7th 2012, 17:30
i totally agree with your comment....even if mother turtle did lay them close to the shore they should have remained their! Nature trust don't trust nature!
Maria Muhlbauer
Sep 7th 2012, 17:50
I follow the readers opinion always with great interest. What annoys me most is that there is never a reply or explanation or whatever from the responsible people. Neither from MEPA or the Government. If something like this would happen in my home country Germany there would be at least a statement of the spokesman, some justification from either side. I think that is what people can expect.
Joe A. Borg
Sep 7th 2012, 16:52
About time they realised the mistake they did when the eggs were moved.
Lets explain.
When the turtle digs the hole, the hole is big enough to fit the turtle. When the laying is completed the turtle flushes back the sand to cover the eggs.
When the eggs were relocated, the hole dug was small with a narrow neck, thus the surrounding sand remained compacted, eliminating the flow of oxygen. Also, the sea level as confirmed is very critical to the successful hatching of the eggs and sea level can change according to the gravitational pull.
Mr Jamie Frendo
Sep 7th 2012, 16:37
So sad they did not make it honestly I was hoping for the best but had my doubts right from the beginning, even if the did hatch they probably would have been caught up in the vast amounts of ropes and seaweed in gnejna and if they survived that the next hurdle was boats then natural predators and garbage, but hey lets look on the bright side, at least we can have the beach back :) , let's face it Malta's beaches are already way overpopulated and most probably not suitable for Turtle hatchlings (hence the reason none have laid succesfull hatchlings here in the last 60 years or so...)
James Vella Clark
Sep 7th 2012, 16:19
Up to five days ago, everyone was suddenly a water management expert. Now everyone is a turtle expert. I wonder what will everyone become next week....
Pule' Carmel
Sep 7th 2012, 17:03
When it comes to turtles and crocodiles, I believe a one degree change of temperature and dryness could be fatal. In my opinion when these eggs were moved to drier and more sunny hotter grounds, well I just wondered if nature could cope with human interference. They look so dry to me.
I do not suppose those eggs were unfertilized like the chicken eggs we eat, A chicken lays unfertilised eggs, I wonder if the turtle does the same??
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 17:49
R. Carmel unfortunately this is incorrect. Reptiles like fish are cold blooded and so changes in temperature simply speed or slow down the development of the eggs, within limits of course. Indeed, it is temperature which determines sex in these animals. As for moisture, it is likely that excess moisture, i.e. being waterlogged caused the suffocation of these eggs. This would have happened in their original place.
Joseph Aquilina
Sep 7th 2012, 16:04
We have to LEARN from this mistake. Be better prepared.
vincent a galea
Sep 7th 2012, 15:48
I was never happy seeing these aggs moved from the spot their mother laid them...
I am no expert, but logic tells me so !!
Mr Victor G Mercieca
Sep 7th 2012, 16:06
Yes exactly common sense.....man tempers with nature as usual!!
R Mallia
Sep 7th 2012, 16:27
It is possible to move them, that is what they do on certain Turtle islands around the world. But rangers usually wait for mummy turtles to come and lay their eggs during the night, while the mum is laying eggs, they are being removed by a ranger behind her. Then they are laid in a safer place with circular grid on top so when they hatch they hatch inside this grid.
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 15:23
Please let me clarify a few things. Where they were laid was unsuitable and the same result would have ensued as they would have been inundated by seawater. When a female is disturbed she will often drop the eggs where she is. Daniel Jones' comment is right in that it was the initial disturbance which made the moving necessary. I also note that the article states that other areas were tested and had the same sand clay substrate, so there wasn't an alternative apart from taking them to a specially built nursery.
Nature in this case did not know best, after all in nature only 0.25% will survive to adulthood. The decision to move them was the right one, and they would have certainly perished in the position they were initially laid. In most highly populated areas nests are routinely moved to hatcheries to protect them, this wasn't an option in the case.
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 17:46
Also, let me say that I am no expert, but I am a post doctoral Marine Biologist with experience of working with turtles, their nests and young in Cyprus. The root problem of all this is the turtle was disturbed while she came to lay.
andreana attard
Sep 7th 2012, 18:46
Was the sand tested to see if it was water logged before the eggs were placed? How was the decision on where to place them reached?
Ms Sandra Grech
Sep 7th 2012, 23:14
Im a biologist too Mr James, and I think 0.25% is better than 0% don;t you think? In fact that is the reason so many eggs are laid in the first place in nature so there is a greater chance of a few surviving. I think the people who moved them should never have done so.
Jack James
Sep 7th 2012, 23:58
Valid questions. If indeed we have evidence that the relocated nest was knowngly unsuitable, or was not assessed for suitability then the authorities have a case to answer. But please keep in mind that had the eggs not been moved, they would have perished anyway. This was as a result of human interference which made the move necessary. This "mother nature" that everyone is talking about was taken out of the equation long before the turtle decided to dig her hole.
M. Zammit
Sep 8th 2012, 10:26
At what point did humans disturb the turtle? After she had dug the hole? During the laying? After the laying?
The experts did not place the eggs in the same way as the mother did... the experts buried the eggs and by buried I mean buried as in dead matter!
M. Zammit
Sep 8th 2012, 10:27
Please note the title... turtle eggs excavated... not turtle eggs uncovered... because the turle eggs were not placed in a nest but BURIED and you only bury the DEAD!
Ian Mamo
Sep 7th 2012, 15:16
I honestly think that this was an experimenting stage. The turtle went up to lay eggs and was disturbed by humans. She laid her eggs and the eggs where re allocated, again disturbing them. I would have at least left half of them where the turtle implanted em in the first place.
Gable Porter
Sep 7th 2012, 20:09
This is the best comment in the whole thread. I would have spread my risks.
Well said.
E. Cuschieri
Sep 7th 2012, 15:12
Moving the eggs did not do any damage to them whatsoever, it's done all the time. If Mepa had left them where they were laid it would have done the exact same thing but even sooner. The original location is shallower in sand volume and closer to the water. The eggs would've been water logged from above and below. If another turtle ever decided to lay eggs in Gnejna I believe they should be taken either to a quieter, cleaner beach with a larger volume of sand or to an incubator. Was a learning experience for all involved though especially the general public.
George Calleja
Sep 7th 2012, 15:08
Alla jbierek fuq kollox irridu nikkritikaw!!! Dawn il-bloggers qed jilghabuha tal-professuri meta daqsi jifhmu. Kemm sirna bravi f'kollox grazzi ghal computer!!!Esperti fuq kollox ghandna f'dal-pajjiz ckejken!!!
andreana attard
Sep 7th 2012, 15:04
It may be that the place where the mother turtle placed them was water-logged too. Maybe, for next time (hopefully there will be more) only half of them could be moved if the environmentalists think that the original place is not suitable.
B. Storace
Sep 7th 2012, 14:58
This is indeed a great pity and a loss for the future of our turtle population. I hope that another brave turtle mother will venture to our shores to do a repeat performance but next time, God willing, with greater success. Ist time unlucky.
Mario Camilleri
Sep 7th 2012, 14:57
The turtles have done their work for millions of years but our intelligence (MEPA and the other experts) had to intrude. Why can't we let nature take it's course? Why do we have to intrude? Why do we not learn from the creatures and the circle of life?
Franco Attard Trevisan
Sep 7th 2012, 14:51
What a pity!... I still don't agree that the eggs were move from the position chosen by the mother... NOT blaming anyone here at all... I do appreciate the great efforts the authorities made to get these eggs to hatch successfully, however, I am a firm believer that nature should always be allowed to take it's natural course... Having interfered with the process may raise speculation into whether the correct decisions were taken.....
Hope we'll have another chance to host these beautiful creatures!
Peter Gingell
Sep 7th 2012, 15:02
Relocating the nest from its original position where the turtle laid its eggs was necessary since such original area was in the lowest part of the beach (and was completely submerged by water two days after nesting). Moreover, such relocation episodes are quite a common and normal practice in other parts of the world; for instance, in the nearby Island of Lampedusa (Pelagian Islands, Italy), about 50 % of the nests are relocated. Relocation was done by three different recognised experts in the first 12 hours window period, when it is safe to carry out such operation.
Dorris geddes
Sep 7th 2012, 14:50
I wonder if they were left where mum placed them if they would have survived!
However you have to praise people for trying but next time leave them be!
It would have been so great to have Turtles back in malta, so sad!
Lisa Grech-Mahoney
Sep 7th 2012, 14:48
The saying goes "mother knows best"...so maybe it would have been wiser leaving them where their mum originally laid them. A real pity !
joseph borg
Sep 7th 2012, 14:48
they should have just left them alone in the first place
Mr M Spiteri
Sep 7th 2012, 14:45
So shouldn't these bad conditions been checked for when the eggs were discovered and a safer environment provided?
J. Camilleri
Sep 7th 2012, 14:43
lanqas haqq il- paniku statali...... imnalla l-ghassa kienet volonatrja ghax konna nidhlu f'ricessjoni ohra !!!!! Imma ghalinqas provajna :) :)
Nazzareno Cortis
Sep 7th 2012, 14:42
The turtle eggs must have been left where thier mother has layed them!!!! Tha's all!!!
Humans should never have interfeerd with nature!!!
We heard that the eggs were removed to be put in a safe place----this was done according to the experts!!!! The result speaks for itself!!! Who knows if the eggs were left where their expert mother has layed them----Perhaps the result would have been a success!!!!
Jack parker
Sep 7th 2012, 16:41
I agree
N. Agius
Sep 7th 2012, 14:41
Did you learn the lesson? Leave them untouched next time!
steve Micallef
Sep 7th 2012, 14:41
who moved the eggs in the first place ????
Joseph Micallef
Sep 7th 2012, 14:39
Not even eggs of a turtle succeed in hatching in Malta. Could it be that this has been caused by the non-sense intervention of the maltese so called experts interfering with nature? why haven't hey been left on their own and just providing security?
B. Borg
Sep 7th 2012, 14:38
Dose the fact that the eggs were moved from where they were laid, have anything to do with all this? Its well known that MEPA Expertise leaves much desire
Mr Daniel Jones
Sep 7th 2012, 14:36
So basically what they are saying is that they messed up. They relocated them to an unsuitable spot.
However, the relocation would not have been necessary had the mother turtle been left well alone to choose her own spot, instead of being surrounded by gawping hordes.
Please choose the reason of your report below: