The beach of La Rumina, in Mojácar, has been the scene of the birth of the first loggerhead turtle hatchling (Caretta caretta) of the season, a milestone that occurred 55 days after the laying took place on June 22.
The conservation operation was activated from the first moment and, following the official protocol, the nest was relocated to a nearby location to prevent storm damage, with the coordination of the Andalusian Regional Government and the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
Nest relocation and continued custody
After assessing the risk, the technical teams decided to relocate part of the laying: 20 eggs were sent to Oasys Minihollywood (Taverns) as a preventive measure.
The rest of the eggs, a total of 79 were relocated on the beach itself, where physical protections were installed against predators and temperature control was implemented to promote incubation.
Surveillance has been constant and shared between Environmental Agents, Ministry staff, Local Police and volunteering, following shifts that have covered 24 hours in the most sensitive phases.
Unmistakable sign: the crater in the sand
In the days before birth, the classic sinking of the substrate over the nest was observed, the small crater that reveals the internal hatching and indicates that the emergence is imminent, a signal that technicians recognize as the step prior to the release of newborns.
The first hatching occurred during the Friday night, when the hatchling managed to reach the surface after making its way through the sand compacted by incubation.
The next step: headstarting in Algeciras
Once the emergencies are completed, the pups will be transferred to the Andalusian Marine Environment Management Center in Algeciras to participate in an assisted breeding or headstarting program.
This technique consists of keeping the newborns for approximately one year, until they exceed the 700 grams and harden the shell, significantly increasing their chances of survival against early predation.
Joint work and citizen support
The Sustainability Delegation in Almería has highlighted the collaboration between administrations and social involvement, from the initial notification by a municipal worker to the technical and operational work in the field.
The SERBAL association has played a key role with more than 30 volunteers organized in shifts to ensure permanent surveillance of the nest in the final phase of incubation.
It is not the first time that SERBAL has protected a nest in Mojácar: it already did so in 2021, and its work was recognized with the Andalusian Environmental Award in 2024 for his contribution to conservation and environmental education.
Background and nesting trends in the province
In the last decade and a half, confirmed nests have been recorded in the province: Vera (2001), Pulpí (2015) and Mojácar (2021 and 2023), along with failed attempts in Agua Amarga (2014), Cuevas del Almanzora (2016) and in Mojácar itself (2024).
Nesting on Spanish beaches is increasingly considered more common, a phenomenon that specialists link to the combination of warmer waters in the Mediterranean due to climate change and increasing social awareness and vigilance.
Chronology and data of the operation
According to the technical information gathered, these are the most notable milestones of the conservation process in Mojácar, which the public has followed very closely due to its environmental interest:
- June 22: Spawning of a female Caretta caretta with 99 eggs.
- Relocation of the nest to a nearby location to minimize the impact of storms.
- Transfer of 20 eggs to Oasys Minihollywood and protection of 79 on the beach.
- 24-hour surveillance coordinated by administrations and volunteers.
- Friday night: first emergence of a calf.
Looking ahead to the coming weeks, the plan includes the transfer of the newborns to the CGMA in Algeciras for their headstarting phase, with a view to their subsequent release into the sea when they reach the target size.
The coordination between the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the Regional Government of Andalusia and the City Council, together with the efforts of the local social fabric, has allowed this episode of high ecological value run with guarantees and with a clear protocol at each stage.
This episode in the Rumina reinforces the importance of maintaining the coastal protection, improve early detection of nesting traces, and sustain programs that increase juvenile survival, factors that make a difference for the loggerhead turtle in the western Mediterranean.