The citizens’ campaign ‘Territorio Tortuga’ (Turtle Territory) has begun to encourage the nesting of loggerhead turtles on the coast of the Region. Do not step on traces of these animals on the beaches, do not disturb them and call 112 if you detect their presence are some recommendations to help a species that has changed its nesting areas in the Mediterranean in recent years.
Human pressure, climate change, overfishing and plastic pollution are some of the threats to loggerhead turtles and are probably related to changes in nesting areas. Up to three nests have been located on Murcian beaches in the last four years despite the fact that it is not a usual breeding area. To bring these nests to a successful conclusion, the volunteer campaign ‘Territorio tortuga’ (Turtle Territory) is being launched once again this year, says Pedro Luengo of Ecologistas en Acción, one of the NGOs involved.
If one of these turtles is detected entering the sand or we see its trail, it is important to report it, not to disturb them and to call 112 to activate the protocol. If it is rare to find loggerhead turtles on the Mediterranean beaches of the Region of Murcia, it is even rarer to find them in the Mar Menor. Just a few days ago a fisherman freed one of them from his nets in the lagoon. According to Luengo, there have always been turtles coming in and out of the lagoon, although it is rare for them to stay for long periods of time. Ecologists in Action put it down to changes in salinity and environmental problems that are affecting the marine fauna of the Mar Menor.
