14 rare sea turtles are released into the ocean.
Footage of the release shows the loggerhead sea turtles- Caretta caretta – being released into the sea on the beach of El Puig, a village located about 15 kilometres north of the city of Valencia, in south-eastern Spain, on Wednesday, 28th September.
A second video shows how experts from Oceanografic Valencia put satellite transmitters on eight of the turtles so they can be tracked in the future.
Newsflash obtained a statement from Oceanografic Valencia – an oceanarium in south-eastern Spain – on 28th September saying: “The animals followed a growth and development programme since September 2021 at the Oceanografic to increase their chances of survival in the ocean.”
(Oceanografic Valencia/Newsflash)
The experts explained that the programme is geared towards reintroducing more turtles into the wild which are better suited to survival.
Loggerhead turtles are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
The statement added: “Those in charge of leaving these young animals, weighing about two kilos, in the sand, included the mayor of El Puig, Luisa Salvador, the councillors of Beaches and the Municipality of the Environment, Marc Oriola and Fernando Checa, the president of the Fundacion Oceanografic, Celia Calabuig […].”
About 50 schoolchildren also attended the event on their first trip to the seaside, saying goodbye to the 14 turtles as they walked into the ocean.
(Oceanografic Valencia/Newsflash)
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
