Seventy baby turtles hatched on a Costa Blanca beach on Sunday and most of them made it to the sea
A hidden loggerhead nest on El Torres beach in Villajoyosa went undetected all summer until a young beachgoer spotted one of the hatchlings in the sand
It was not the kind of thing you expect to find on a busy August beach. On Sunday afternoon, a young bather walking along El Torres beach in Villajoyosa noticed something small and unusual moving across the sand. It turned out to be a baby loggerhead turtle, and it was not alone. Hidden beneath the surface, a nest had been quietly completing its incubation cycle throughout the entire summer season, entirely undetected.Once the alarm was raised via the Policía Local and the 112 emergency line, specialists from the Oceanogràfic aquarium in Valencia and the environmental NGO Xaloc were quickly on the scene. What they found when they located the nest was remarkable: around 70 hatchlings had successfully completed their development. Most were released directly onto the beach and made their own way into the Mediterranean.
Around ten were carefully transported to the Oceanogràfic, where they will spend their first months under specialist care as part of a conservation programme known as head-starting, which gives young turtles the best possible chance of survival before returning them to the sea.The fact that the nest had gone completely unnoticed for weeks, and remained undisturbed throughout, meant the hatchlings were able to develop naturally and reach the surface in good condition. It was, in almost every sense, the best possible outcome.
Mayor Marcos Zaragoza was clearly moved by the event. "What we witnessed on El Torres beach is one of those images that reminds us of the enormous natural heritage we have in Villajoyosa," he said. "Seeing these small turtles reach the Mediterranean from one of our beaches is something very special for the entire city."
Councillor for Beaches and Environment Carlos Soler paid tribute to the young man who spotted the first hatchling and to the other beachgoers who stood back and gave the specialists space to work. "Their behaviour was exemplary," he said. "Our beaches are much more than just places for swimming and enjoyment. They are living ecosystems."
If you ever spot a sea turtle, hatchling or possible nest on a beach, the advice is clear: do not touch it, do not use a flash, keep a safe distance and call 112 immediately so the protection protocol can be activated.
You might also be interested in: New loggerhead turtle hatchlings emerge at Calblanque
Images: Ayuntamiento de Villajoyosa
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