Two young turtles released into the wild after rehabilitation

After over two months of therapy at the Wildlife Rehab Centre project, two young turtles named Nadia and Maria were returned to the wild earlier on Tuesday in Golden Bay.

Nadia, one of the turtles, was saved on August 4th, 2023, when she was discovered floating on the surface with a hook in her mouth. Maria, the other rescued turtle, was saved on August 20th, 2023, after consuming large amounts of plastic and showing several old scars from prior traumas.

The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), which funds the rehabilitation of wounded animals, provides financial assistance for the Rehab Centre Project, which is run by Nature Trust Malta (NTM) - FEE. ERA collaborates closely with the eNGO on a number of additional environmental projects.

“Plastic pollution is on the increase and is badly affecting us and marine life. Disposing of Waste in the appropriate bins even on land is of utmost importance and crucial to reduce plastic waste at sea,” NTM President Vince Attard said.

According to ERA CEO Kevin Mercieca, the Authority is creating policies to reduce as much plastic waste as possible through updated legislation, including a ban on the importation and sale of single-use-plastics on the local market and other initiatives covered by the Single Use Plastic Strategy for Malta 2020-2030.

“This also goes hand in hand with other waste-related initiatives intended to reduce waste in general, such as the mandatory waste separation regulations introduced in April. All these policy initiatives help reduce the amounts of waste plastic ending up in the sea putting the life of marine biodiversity at risk,” Mercieca stated.

The fines for incorrect waste separation come into force on 15 October 2023.