Spain’s Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in the province of Almería is home to a special project of caring for and reintroducing young loggerhead sea turtles to the region.

On Thursday, July 15, 80 turtles hatched in 2009 were successfully released from a beach in the park. The Environmental Department and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) initiated the reintroduction program in 2004, which involves first collecting turtle eggs from Cape Verde, where the species is found in larger groups but sadly faces multiple dangers.

The eggs are then placed on the beaches of the park or in incubators and are transferred when they hatch to the center of the Marine Environment Management Algeciras.

The young turtles thus spend their first few months in a safe environment to sufficiently harden their shells, which greatly increases the chance of their survival in the wild.
The hope is also that the turtles will return to nest in the park, thus creating a healthy, thriving population from its beaches.

A big bravo, Environmental Department, Spanish National Research Council and Spain for your dedicated efforts to save this wonderful marine animal. May your exemplary actions lead to more such celebrations of life around the world with shared respect amongst all Earth’s inhabitants.
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