ARCHIVED - VIDEO: Loggerhead turtle trapped in plastic bag returned to the sea at La Manga
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
The bag had become tangled on the turtle’s leg on the Murcia coastline, putting its life in danger
Stunned beachgoers in La Manga clapped and cheered after a very lucky loggerhead turtle that had become trapped in a “huge” plastic bag was released back to the sea on Monday July 18. The impressive reptile was spotted close to the shore on the San Javier coast with the plastic wrapped tightly around one leg, which was rapidly cutting off circulation.
Bathers and lifeguards from the Civil Protection of the San Javier City Council worked together to free the turtle and with some coaxing, it took to the waves to the sounds of celebration from those on shore.
El Mar Menor de los Niños thanked everyone involved in the rescue operation of Twitter, adding:
“Today there is one more loggerhead turtle that can swim free of plastics near La Manga.”
🐢Hoy hay una TORTUGA BOBA más que puede nadar libre de plásticos cerca de La Manga.
Gracias a los socorristas y voluntarios que la han acercado a la orilla para liberarla de una enorme bolsa que le podía cercenar una pata.
— El Mar Menor de los Niños (@NuestroMarMenor) July 18, 2022
The loggerhead turtle is classified as ‘vulnerable’ according to the List of Wild Species under Special Protection Regime and the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species, and as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Turtles in the Region have all been tagged with subcutaneous microchips that allow experts to track the reptiles and identify them if they are captured. Microchipping is also a valuable tool for collecting vital information on the species, such as their migratory movements and global threats that affect their survival.
This time of year is nesting period for loggerhead turtles, when they come up onto the beaches in southwestern Spain to lay their eggs, and coastal towns are desperately trying to educate people on what to do if they find turtles on the beach.
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