PROPERTY SEARCH

Date Published: 27/06/2023

Loggerhead turtle lays 78 eggs on Elche beach - the 4th nesting on the Costa Blanca in a week

ARCHIVED ARTICLE -

A record 331 sea turtle eggs have already been laid along the coast of the Valencia Region

Loggerhead turtle lays 78 eggs on Elche beach - the 4th nesting on the Costa Blanca in a week

A fourth loggerhead turtle has successfully nested on a beach in Elche, bringing the total to 331 sea turtle eggs in the last week on the coast of the Valencia Region - a new seasonal record.

Municipal beach cleaning staff discovered the nesting loggerhead on Arenal beach in the early hours of Monday June 26, and alerted Elche Local Police who activated the Stranding Network protocol.

A rescue team from Oceanographic Foundation and Universitat de València was immediately sent to the nesting area where they confirmed 78 eggs had been laid - despite hordes of revellers descending on Alicante province's coastline to celebrate the Noche de San Juan with bonfires and all-night parties at the weekend.

Veterinarians performed a blood analysis and an ultrasound to determine the turtle's state of health and technicians installed a satellite transmitter to chart her movements over the coming months.

Thirteen of the eggs are now in Oceanographic Foundation incubators until they hatch and the remaining 65 are on a protected beach in El Saler. Loggerhead turtle lays 78 eggs on Elche beach - the 4th nesting on the Costa Blanca in a week

According to the centre's experts, there have never been as many nestings on the coast of the Valencian Community in just one week.

In the last seven days, two nests have been detected in Denia, another in Gandía, and further attempts in Orihuela and Oliva.

"With this latest nesting, 331 sea turtle eggs have now been recorded on our coasts over the last few days. A figure that exceeds all the records previously recorded in the Valencia Region," said Oceanographic.

"Although the factors that determine the turtles' choice of a beach are not known with certainty, it has been observed that these areas must meet certain conditions for the turtles to be able to dig their nests," they added.

The researchers believe that the latest case recorded at Playa Arenales will not be the last we will see in the coming weeks, and "more sensitivity will undoubtedly be needed on the beaches every time we see a turtle appear so that it can lay its eggs as calmly as possible".

"This year it is very likely that more animals, nests and eggs will continue to appear on our beaches, so it is essential to be alert to any sighting and to call 112, the emergency number, in order to protect them."

Sadly, a wary loggerhead turtle's recent attempts to lay eggs on a beach in Torrevieja were thwarted by curious tourists.

The tagged turtle, who has been named Merche, made her way onto Playa de Los Locos in Torrevieja on Thursday June 22 shortly after 11pm but quickly decided the beach was too crowded for her liking and returned to the sea.

According to the Crónicas Naturales y Proyecto Mastral Facebook page, hoards of inquisitive holidaymakers crowded around the loggerhead when she started to dig chambers in which to bury her eggs.

The same sea turtle had made several attempts to nest on beaches across the Orihuela Costa in the same week.

Images: Oceanographic Foundation

See more news about animals in Spain:

Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin to get a comprehensive email with all the week’s news for Spain, Murcia, Alicante and Andalucía.

Get a sneak peek – here are a few of our recent Subscription Bulletins: