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RESEARCH

Sea turtles: coming home

One of the most interesting projects at the Aquarium is the sea turtle restoration project aimed at caring for sick or lost turtles that show up on our coast. Generally immature or young adult loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) are the type brought to our facilities by fishing crews or private parties.

They are typically found beached or floating aimlessly on the surface of the water. For the most part, these problems can be explained by infections (mainly lung related, keeping them from being able to go underwater) or by injuries from gillnets or recreational boating.

When a turtle is brought in, the Aquarium puts it in a special quarantine tank, where it can adapt without contracting any further illness. After studying the details surrounding each case, the animal is treated. The recuperation period depends on the gravity of the ailment.

Monitoring and study

Once a turtle has been cured, it is restored to its natural habitat.

Despite being few in number, the Department of Biology feels that in order to learn more about these sea turtles it is important to mark them before returning them to the sea.

Since the Donostia-San Sebastián Aquarium has collaborated with the Biarritz and La Rochelle aquariums on several projects, the three decided to join forces again in a turtle marking and release programme. The project is part of an initiative entitled "Sea Turtles", sponsored by the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development.

In La Rochelle, France, every year in June all of the turtles recovered from the French and Basque coasts are released. An average of ten sea turtles is collected annually between all of the partner aquariums. Some years, however, there are a lot more. In 1990, for example, 32 individuals were released and in 2001 we had 48. These rare circumstances were associated with meteorological factors and strong water currents originating off the coast of Portugal.

The oceanographic conditions at La Rochelle are ideal for the release of this species of turtle, since there is little chance they will become disoriented in the Bay of Biscay.