Over 100 volunteers turn up to patrol sea turtle nests

By Andrea Rossitto

Some 110 volunteers responded to Nature Trust’s call to help in the surveillance of the turtle eggs deposited at Golden Bay on Tuesday.

“So far we have 110 volunteers helping with the turtle watch. The nesting was a normal one, hence we will be now leaving nature to take its course, which may take 50 to 70 days,” Nature Trust president Vince Attard said.

Nonetheless, he said “we still need more volunteers to take up four-hours shifts for the next two months. Time we need most help right now is between 6am and 9am,” Nature Trust claimed in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning.

“The volunteers are expected to ensure that no damage to the nest is caused by beach goers. Their role also includes to inform the public on what’s happening, and to guard the nest from possible predators such as rats,” Attard added.

In a similar case in Gnejna in 2012, turtle eggs needed to be relocated since they were too close to the sea and risked being washed away if the sea was rough, but Attard said this was not the case with the Golden Bay nests.

In 2012 the egg embryos died at a late stage of development, however Attard said the loggerhead turtle eggs at Golden Bay were laid 8 metres up the beach and hence they won’t be moved.

Attard also explained that this same procedure could not be carried out this time round since, according to a Sea Turtle Conservancy policy, “eggs can only be moved the first 12 hours after they are laid to avoid dis-attaching the membrane from the shell.”

“Perhaps, if some unseasonal and unexpected storm disrupts the islands in the summer months, we may place sandbags to surround the nesting site for further protection.”

The species in question is currently classified as globally endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Moreover, capturing, killing, taking, and trading these turtles, as well as the deliberate disturbance of these species, particularly during the period of breeding, rearing and migration, is prohibited and subject to legal action.

As a matter of fact, the local ‘Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Protection Regulations’ impose a minimum fine of nearly €500 and go up to nearly €2,400 for each egg that may be destroyed or taken from the wild.

“It’s of utmost important to not disturb the nests, to properly dispose of garbage, to not construct campfires on the beach, and to avoid using flashlights or flash photography so to not deter turtles from coming ashore to nest,” Attard reminded afresh.

Presently, loggerheads nests are mostly found in large beaches as in the central and eastern parts of the Mediterranean basin, mainly in Libya, Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey.

“Nonetheless,” Attard expressed his concern, “small populations also nest in Tunisia, Egypt, Sicily, Lampedusa, and Naples, suggesting that our ecosystem is losing substantial natural habitats.”

In fact, there is evidence that nesting incidences in the Maltese islands are on the increase, such that Nature Trust is currently monitoring species on other sandy beach sites.