Three Boba turtles released

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

(Boba translates to Loggerhead)

Taken from Island Connections:

To realise the dream that one day they would watch them return to the beach where they were born, the Fuerteventura Cabildo`s environmental department released three Boba turtles in late March at the Cofete beach.

21.04.2015 - Since their birth, the turtles have been raised at the Marine Turtle Recovery and Conservation Centre, popularly known as the turtles` nursery, on the pier at Morro Jable.

Tourists and residents alike gathered in the area to watch the liberation, which took place on the Cofete beach which forms part of the Jandía Natural Park. This beach, with 13 kilometres of virgin sand and totally free of buildings, has been a key point for the development of the island`s turtle reintroduction project for a decade.  The study includes several campaigns every year, when thousands of Boba turtle eggs are gathered at just the right time in Cape Verde and brought to Fuerteventura.

The Cabildo`s councillor for the environment, Natalia Évora, said “As on previous occasions, the hope is that once they are adults, and of reproductive age, these turtles will return to lay their eggs here, on the same beach they were born on.  This is one of the incredible peculiarities of this species and the positive results of this study have been proven in other parts of the world”.

With respect to the three turtles which were liberated, the councillor explained that they weighed between four and 7.5 kilogrammes.  She added “These are the turtles which, at the time of hatching, are the weakest due to the temperature conditions.  Now they`re big enough and weigh enough to develop in a natural environment with the best chances of survival.”

The liberation of the turtles which form part of this reintroduction study, and of others which arrive at the recovery centre after being found injured in various circumstances, is she said “always an opportunity to create public awareness and advise them about conservation of the marine environment.  This work, which has continued for years, has allowed the local population to get even more involved in this task, to the point where today their collaboration is essential to be able to rescue and attend to injured creatures on the island.  These are the sort of activities which make sense of what the Cabildo has done to revalue our territory based on sustainability and of the agreement to the principles of the Biosphere Reserve.”

The Boba turtle is a cosmopolitan species which is distributed in an extensive area around all the oceans and tropical and sub-tropical seas.  They`re found in the waters of the continental platforms, coasts, lakes and estuaries, and sometimes inside ports.  This ample distribution and adaptability to all types of marine ecosystems makes this species a special indicator of the state of the oceans, by relating their level of conservation to the health of our seas.

The Boba turtle is considered to be threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.  Its main threats are fishing and marine contamination, and it`s not uncommon to find them trapped in nets, plastics or other rubbish â€" something which prevents them eating normally and can result in death.

The Fuerteventura Cabildo`s environmental department is currently caring for eight of these turtles, which have been found in the last few months either sick or injured on different points of the island.  Once they`ve recovered, they are progressively returned to the sea.

Experts say that marine turtles are reptiles which have evolved during millions of years, and with strong instincts, which means that their reintroduction to the sea can be carried out easily because they are not affected by the interaction with humans during their phase in captivity.

Although the Boba turtle is the most common in the Canaries, there are also other species in the waters surrounding the islands, such as the Green Turtle, the Laud Turtle and the Carey Turtle.  Many of these have been found injured or dead due to the previously mentioned threats, collisions with boats or natural diseases.  In the most serious cases, they are sent to recovery centres in Gran Canaria, although recently the Marine Turtle Recovery Centre in Fuerteventura has gained in importance.

Public cooperation is fundamental to the rescue of these and other injured or ill creatures in the waters and on the coasts of our islands.  So if you see a turtle floating in the sea, you need to find out whether it is sleeping, or if it has a problem. Symptoms to look out for include dryness of the shell, encrusted algae, or injuries. Do not pick up the turtle by its shell and, if moving it, always move it in a forwards direction.  Be careful of its beak, claws and wings, and in the case that a turtle bites you, don`t try to move it away until it opens its beak.

Once you`ve managed to rescue a turtle, put it in a cool place, and try to keep it damp with wet towels or cloths.  Don`t give it anything to eat or drink until specialists arrive to collect it.  If you need to transport a turtle, you are recommended to use a plastic case suitable for the animal`s size.

If you find a turtle that needs attention in Fuerteventura, you can call the environmental office during office hours on 928 533 427, the Cabildo at any time of the day on 928 862 300, or call the environmental officers direct on 626 982 371.  If you cannot contact any of these numbers, or live on the other islands, call 112.

[Can the Man]

Thanks for this information TamaraEnLaPlaya, I googled the article and found this photo

[Michelle and Simon]

Sadly I've found 4 of these washed up on the rocks behind the airport in recent weeks.

[Can the Man]

Sadly I've found 4 of these washed up on the rocks behind the airport in recent weeks.

It would appear that my posting from last night did not post correctly. My comments to Michelle and Simon was that this is very sad, and that perhaps they could inform the organisation in Morro Jable that do the nursery and rescue and perhaps they would monitor the area.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Sadly I've found 4 of these washed up on the rocks behind the airport in recent weeks.

That is sad news M & S. Were they young 'uns or adults? Any visible signs of injury?

[Michelle and Simon]

One was quite big maybe 2 foot long and the others were similar in size to the ones in the photo above.
The bigger one had a cracked shell but that could have been done after it washed up.