The first sea turtle of Majorca are born

The sea turtles of the nest of Can Pere Antoni, the first registered at Majorca, were born during Sunday, 6th of August, and the early morning of Monday.

The beginning of these births took place on Sunday, the first one came out at 11:00h; and the rest from 21:00h and during Monday morning. The volunteer team guarding the nest was able to see 12 newly born sea turtles that emerged from within the sand after 61 days of laying eggs, the past 7th of June at the beach of Palma. These specimens have been transferred to the facilities of Irfap-Limia, at the Port of Andratx, where the department of Marine Wildlife of Cofib will be in charge of evaluating its state and care, and will raise them until the moment of reincorporation into the sea.

The sea turtles born in the nests of the Balearic Islands will be part of the program ‘Head Starting’, in accordance with the national strategy of the species and the collaboration of other autonomic communities. This strategy consists of a program that raises in an artificial environment controlled during 10 and 12 months. Thanks to this program it is increased exponentially the possibilities of survival and that theses animals are once again returned to sea.

However, and despite the fact that turtles generally remain in Limia a year, due to that currently there are about 400 eggs at different beaches, the laboratory cannot cope with such a large number of turtles so, after a short period of time, many of them are returned to the sea.

It is important to remember that this is the first sea turtle nest at the island at Majorca and during the year of 2023, the first of the five active nests currently filmed in the 2023 season. The other four nests have happened at the beach of Cala Millor, Majorca, and at the beaches of Es Figueral, Santa Eulària des Riu and Salines, at Ibiza.

The general director of the Natural Environment, Ana Torres, has pointed out that when the species of theses nests are born “they will also be transferred to the laboratory of Marine and Aquaculture Investigations (Limia) although, the limited capacity of the same, some turtles will be returned to sea in September, with two months to live”. Torres, has explained that “the climate change is provoking that the behavement of the species changes, which affects their migration and nesting”. “This way, they are moving to areas which before were not normally inhabited”, explains Ana. And with this in mind, she remembers that “these types of turtles never nested in the Balearic islands” and that “the first case was in 2019 at Ibiza”.

For his part, the councilman of the Environment of the Council hall of Palma, Llorenç Bauzá, has explained that the first hatching of 12 eggs “it is a historical fact for the council which is the first time  that the beach of Can Pere Antoni takes in the laying of 106 eggs”.

The Government and Cort claim the maximum collaboration of all the citizens to preserve these nests. Currently it is the high season to nest this animal, and in consequence, it is probable that there will be registered more attempts to nest. In any case of seeing any of these attempts, it is necessary to warn immediately to 112 and to not bother the animal to avoid them failing the nesting.