[WATCH] A record of turtle nests

At least eight turtles have made Malta and Gozo’s beaches their nesting grounds this summer in what has turned out to be a record year.

The most recent nesting observed at Ramla l-Ħamra in Gozo eclipsed the record established in 2020 when seven turtle nests were recorded.

So far, 44 baby turtles have hatched from one of the nesting sites at Golden Bay with other nests expected to hatch in the coming weeks.

Turtles started to nest more frequently on Maltese beaches over the past 12 years, a phenomenon that leaves bathers astonished and environmentalists happy.

To understand this phenomenon, MaltaToday spoke with Stanley Gatt from the Nature Team within the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA). He explained that there are two primary hypotheses for the increase in turtle nesting in Malta.

Stanley Gatt

The nesting phenomenon could be linked to global warming, Gatt said. Temperature influences the sex of turtle hatchlings, with warmer conditions favouring females.

“An increase in temperature leads to an increase of the female development rather than male development,” he stated.

Another hypothesis is premised on the improvement in conservation measures like the increase in protection for turtle nests that improved the survivability of hatchlings. The exact viability of the nests cannot be determined until hatching occurs.

Gatt said the hatching period has just begun. “We’re going to at least have another three weeks of hatching,” he said.

In an average turtle nest, loggerhead turtles typically lay between 60 to 100 eggs, with a hatching success rate of about 75%. However, the survival rate of hatchlings reaching adulthood is lower, at around 6%.

Gatt also noted that environmental NGOs also play an important role in the monitoring of nesting activities, with volunteers from Nature Trust and the Wildlife Rescue Team conducting surveillance on beaches during the night and early morning to identify nesting occurrences. There are currently over 200 volunteers monitoring the turtle nesting sites in Malta, with just above 100 volunteers in Gozo.

The process to protect a nesting site is immediately done once a marking is confirmed. “The moment that these volunteers encounter either a nesting turtle or markings on the beach, it is checked and confirmed, and immediately it is physically cordoned off to ensure that there is no trampling on the nest,” Gatt said.

Once a nest is confirmed, ERA issues an emergency conservation order to protect the sites from disturbance from activities occurring around the nesting sites.

The public is encouraged to be mindful of activities that could negatively impact the nesting sites. This includes avoiding excessive noise and vibrations, refraining from camping in surrounding areas, and not placing umbrellas near nesting sites, as this can cast shadows on the nests. Additionally, it’s important to minimize light pollution, as excessive lighting can confuse hatchlings, leading them away from the sea.

After the first baby turtles hatched, volunteers and environment officials will be on standby over the next few weeks for more hatchlings to emerge from beneath the sand as they start their brave journey to adulthood.