Seven-year-old Luca Mangion loves turtles and every weekend he visits the San Luċjan rehabilitation centre in Marsaxlokk.

After witnessing Katusu and Edel the loggerhead turtles recover at the centre, Luca yesterday ushered them through the sand and into the sea at Ġnejna Bay – and waved goodbye.

“Luca comes to the centre practically every Saturday. We get a small stool for him to stand on so he can see the turtles properly. So we rewarded him for his dedication by picking him to release these two turtles,” explained Vince Attard, the president of Nature Trust (Malta) that oversees the rehabilitation.

We get a stool for him to stand on so he can see the turtles properly

He added that Luca had started visiting the centre earlier this year when he adopted Monster, a turtle that had since been released. Yesterday, Luca was surrounded by some 90 children, who also adopted turtles through Nature Trust’s campaign, as Katusu and Edel were released.

Katusu and Edel were yesterday released into the wild.

Katusu was taken to the centre in July after it ingested metal objects, including washers.

Its stomach had to be cleared and a lesion on its flipper was treated. Edel was found entangled in September and had to be released of all the nets and nylon restricting it.

“These two turtles were lucky as they have been found in time for us to take remedial action and grant them a second chance at life,” said Anthony Gruppetta, the vet responsible for marine turtles.

Since 2001, a total of 170 turtles had been taken to San Luċjan, with 108 surviving.

Others were not so lucky, he added, citing the example of Johann, a turtle which succumbed to a harpoon bullet wound found in its head.

Yesterday’s event was held by Nature Trust in conjunction with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the Malta Aquaculture Research Centre and St Simon Vet Clinic.

Injured wildlife should be reported to Nature Trust, Mepa or the Animal Welfare. The rescue numbers are 9999 9505, 9942 2085 or 9942 2086.