25-07-2022
Emergent nesting of the Caretta turtle on the Catalan coastline
Foto: Amanda Brown
On 20 July 2022, the Calafell sea turtles hatched last year were released as part of the project "Management and evaluation of the colonisation of the Spanish coast for loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting as an adaptation to climate change (NIDOS-Caretta)", in which experts Marta Pascual, Carlos Carreras and Lluís Cardona, from the Faculty of Biology and the Institute for Research on Biodiversity (IRBio) of the University of Barcelona took part. Researchers from the BETA Technology Centre of the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) and the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) have also collaborated and it has been co-funded by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Report.
The main objective of the project is to maximise the success of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting events on the peninsular coast. The loggerhead turtle is a marine species found in tropical and temperate zones around the world. This carnivorous turtle nests on the coasts of Japan, Oman, Australia, the Caribbean and the east coast of North America, Cape Verde and the eastern Mediterranean. It also makes long migrations to feeding grounds such as the western Mediterranean.
In a climate change scenario, the future of the loggerhead turtle may depend on its ability to colonise new areas. This species has philopatric behaviour, with females and most males returning to the beaches where they were born to breed. However, some females do not return to the nesting area and may make occasional nests in new areas. The phenomenon of sporadic nesting, considered exceptional, has increased in recent years on the beaches of the western Mediterranean, so the protection of these areas may be decisive for the survival of the species in the future.
Further information
Watch video:
On 20 July 2022, the Calafell sea turtles hatched last year were released as part of the project "Management and evaluation of the colonisation of the Spanish coast for loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting as an adaptation to climate change (NIDOS-Caretta)", in which experts Marta Pascual, Carlos Carreras and Lluís Cardona, from the Faculty of Biology and the Institute for Research on Biodiversity (IRBio) of the University of Barcelona took part. Researchers from the BETA Technology Centre of the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) and the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) have also collaborated and it has been co-funded by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Report.
The main objective of the project is to maximise the success of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting events on the peninsular coast. The loggerhead turtle is a marine species found in tropical and temperate zones around the world. This carnivorous turtle nests on the coasts of Japan, Oman, Australia, the Caribbean and the east coast of North America, Cape Verde and the eastern Mediterranean. It also makes long migrations to feeding grounds such as the western Mediterranean.
In a climate change scenario, the future of the loggerhead turtle may depend on its ability to colonise new areas. This species has philopatric behaviour, with females and most males returning to the beaches where they were born to breed. However, some females do not return to the nesting area and may make occasional nests in new areas. The phenomenon of sporadic nesting, considered exceptional, has increased in recent years on the beaches of the western Mediterranean, so the protection of these areas may be decisive for the survival of the species in the future.
Further information
Watch video: