Calpe Town Council has joined the 4th "Mediterranean Turtles" awareness campaign, an initiative of the Oceanogràfic Aquarium Foundation of Seville and the Azul Marino Foundation whose aim is to inform the public about how to act in the presence of a sea turtle.
To this end, posters have been installed at the busiest and most visible points to inform bathers and travellers of the presence of sea turtles on the Mediterranean coasts so that, in the event of a sighting, they can call 112 and thus activate the Stranding Network, made up of the University of Valencia, the Regional Ministry of Agriculture and Ecological Transition and the Oceanogràfic Foundation itself.
In the case of the Comunitat Valenciana, it is the Oceanogràfic Foundation's rescue team that travels to the area to assess the animal's condition and transfer it, if necessary, to the ARCA del Mar, where it recovers until it can return to the sea.
The dates of the campaign are crucial for the conservation of the species, as this is the season when nesting takes place, i.e. when the females approach the beach to lay their eggs in the spots they consider suitable, so it is essential that they are not disturbed.
As there has been an increase in the number of nests in recent years and, due to the philopatry of these animals, it is possible that a good number of nestings will be recorded again. In fact, so far this season, four clutches have already been registered on our beaches, two in Dénia, one in Gandia and a fourth in Elche.
In addition to the towns in the Valencian Community, the Region of Murcia and the Balearic Islands that have been participating since the first edition, this summer the radius of action has been extended to Andalusia and there are now 80 municipalities that have joined the campaign, which this year is called "Here we save turtles".