Increased sightings of Loggerhead turtles bad omen

Successfully hatched Loggerhead turtles were recently released back into the Mediterranean on Marbella and Benalmadena beaches, but this not all good news.

Loggerhead turtles (also known as Caretta caretta) are being increasingly found on Spanish beaches. As reported recently by the Euro Weekly News, eggs which were found on Cabopino beach in 2023, hatched recently at Fuengirola’s Bioparc facilities, and then released back into the Mediterranean at the same beach in July 24, and again one week later again in Benalmadena.

But this is not a natural phenomenon on Spanish beaches and there have been scores of recent sightings on the shores of the Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Murcia and Mallorca. In fact, this is a worrying omen of things to come.

Warming waters separating turtle sexes

The waters around Greece, Turkey and Cyprus are heating up, and the turtles are heading west to where the Mediterranean mixes with cooler Atlantic water. This change in temperatures is causing there to be born more female turtles than males in the East, calling into question the future of the species.

Sea turtles are philopatric, which means the temperature of the nesting egg determines whether a male or female turtle is hatched. The higher the temperature of the sand where the eggs are nested, the more chance they have of developing into females, and vice versa. Research shows that if a turtle’s eggs incubate below 27.7°C, the turtle hatchlings will be male. If the eggs incubate above 31°C, however, the hatchlings will definitely be female, potentially leading to more males in the Western Mediterranean, and more females in the East. This is separation of the sexes is a situation which could have a devastating impact on the species.

What to do if you discover a turtle or its eggs

On discovering a sea turtle or its eggs on a Spanish beach, it is essential not to disturb the area. According to César-Javier Palacios, naturalist and geographer, the procedure to follow is:

Call 112
Do not touch or disturb the animal
Do not make noise
Do not take photos with flash or illuminate the female in any way
Move away from the area at least 30 meters
Don’t step on the turtle’s tracks
Calling 112 will activate a protocol and professionals will be sent immediately to the area.