Six marine turtles returned to the sea in Ġnejna

The turtles were cared for by aquaculture officer Charles Sammut, veterinarian Anthony Gruppetta and volunteers from Nature Trust (Malta).

Currently, three Nature Trust volunteers visit San Luċjan three times a week to help with cleaning, medication and feeding of the turtles undergoing rehabilitation.

The turtles were released in the presence of Resources and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino, Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Mario de Marco, and Nature Trust (Malta) volunteers, including the NGO’s Marine Rescue Team, which is made up of a dedicated team of volunteers who have MEPA permits to handle protected animals and who are on call on a 24/7 basis. Members of the public, including a good number of children, also attended the turtle release event.

The team organises a number of educational activities, and is now seeking to raise funds to buy a proper inflatable dolphin and a turtle to use during the various educational and training events.

When turtles are picked up by fishermen, boat owners or divers, volunteers from the Wildlife Marine Rescue Team normally take the turtles to Forti San Luċjan, where aquaculture officer Charles Sammut follows their progress, keeping records of their size, weight, growth, the amount of food they eat, and any vitamins and medicines they are given. They are only released back to the sea when it is evident that they are healthy and growing steadily.

Children who went on summer school visits to Xrobb l-Għaġin were given interesting talks about these wonderful reptiles, their lives and the problems they face by Nature Trust (Malta) educator volunteers. Despite being great travellers, marine turtles are under threat from fishing fleets. They get entangled in fishing lines, swallow hooks and plastic bags, and encounter other difficulties that could have fatal consequences unless they are taken to the rehabilitation centre for treatment.

The reptiles sometimes get caught on hooks while eating fishing bait; the hooks and lines cause infections that may lead to a cruel death, so fishermen are advised to take injured turtles to San Luċjan for treatment as soon as possible. In the case of long fishing trips, fishermen are advised to cut the line close to turtles’ mouths, avoiding the nylon getting into their digestive system, thus giving the turtles a higher chance of survival.

Turtles have been around for more than 200 million years, but they are endangered due to human impacts. The most commonly sighted turtles around the Maltese Islands are Loggerhead turtles, which can live up to 80 to 100 years. The last recorded turtle nesting in Malta was in 1960, but the fate of both the eggs and the female turtle was rather unfortunate, as the adult was killed and the eggs were stolen.

Nature Trust (Malta) is committed to raising awareness on these marine reptiles. Beach users in particular, are urged not to leave plastic bags lying around on beaches as turtles may end up swallowing them if they end up in the sea.