The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is experiencing a particularly active summer on the Spanish coast. Between the release of captive-bred individuals, the rescue of injured animals, and the discovery of new nests, the endangered species continues to make strides toward its recovery in the western Mediterranean . Andalusia and Catalonia account for a significant portion of this season's milestones, with initiatives that combine scientific research, institutional coordination, and citizen participation.
In recent weeks, three loggerhead turtles have returned to the sea at different points along the Andalusian coast, while the first nest of the summer has been located on the Catalan coast. These events reflect the ongoing effort to protect a species that, although vulnerable, demonstrates a remarkable capacity to adapt to the heat of climate change.
Releases in Andalusia: two turtles return to the sea in Roquetas de Mar
Serena Beach in Roquetas de Mar was the site of the release of two loggerhead turtle hatchlings that had been born on that very beach on July 30, 2025. On that day, a nest containing 38 eggs was discovered, the second of the season in the province of Almería. Due to the late date, controlled incubation was carried out at the Bioparc Fuengirola facilities, where only two eggs proved viable after 53 days of incubation.
The hatchlings spent their first months at the Andalusian Marine Environment Management Center (CEGMA) in Algeciras and were then transferred to the Costa de Almería Aquarium, where they completed a headstarting program. Both specimens reached a weight of nearly two kilograms and a carapace length of about 20 centimeters , optimal parameters for their reintroduction. During their stay, in addition to receiving veterinary care, they participated in educational activities that raised awareness among thousands of visitors about marine conservation.
The release ceremony was attended by the mayor of Roquetas, Gabriel Amat, and the Director General of Forest Policy and Biodiversity, Juan Ramón Pérez Valenzuela, who emphasized that “every time we return a turtle to the sea, we are giving biodiversity back an opportunity .” The release took place in the same location where the nest was found to encourage imprinting, the process by which turtles remember their birth beach and return to it to reproduce.
Rescue and release of 'Antonio' in Rota
On Costa Ballena beach in Rota (Cádiz), another loggerhead turtle named 'Antonio' returned to the sea after being rescued by the crew of the fishing vessel Niño Juan Manuel, belonging to the Sanlúcar de Barrameda Fishermen's Association. The animal was accidentally trapped during a fishing trip , and the sailors activated the emergency protocol, which took it to the Strait of Gibraltar Wildlife Management Center (CEGMA), where it received veterinary care for several weeks.
The release is part of the SOS Caretta project, an initiative that fosters collaboration between government agencies, environmental organizations, and the fishing sector to rescue and rehabilitate endangered sea turtles. According to program data, more than 75 sea turtles have been returned to the sea since its inception, and five have been rescued so far in 2026 thanks to the involvement of fishermen from Sanlúcar and Punta Umbría.
The event was attended by Luisa Fernández, Rota's municipal delegate for Sports Promotion, and Óscar Curtido, the regional delegate for Sustainability, along with representatives from the Moeve Foundation and the fishing sector itself. The swift action of the fishermen is crucial to increasing the survival chances of these animals, as well as providing valuable information about their presence in the Gulf of Cádiz.
Catalonia records its first nest of the season in L'Estartit
The nesting season in Catalonia began with the discovery of a loggerhead turtle nest on L'Estartit beach, in the Baix Empordà region. The clutch, consisting of 71 eggs, was located just ten meters from the water , which required specialized teams to move the eggs to a more protected area to avoid the risk of flooding. The operation, known as translocation, was carried out with extreme care to avoid damaging the embryos.
The protection operation was coordinated by the Generalitat (Catalan government), the BETA technology center of UVic-UCC (University of Vic-Catholic University of Catalonia), and the CRAM Foundation, with the participation of Rural Agents and staff from the Montgrí Natural Park. The nest remains under constant surveillance to monitor the sand temperature and embryonic development, factors that determine the sex of the hatchlings and their viability.
This first nest comes after a record-breaking year in 2025, when eleven nests were located on the Catalan coast with more than a thousand eggs, from which 557 turtles hatched. The upward trend is linked to the warming of the Mediterranean , which is shifting breeding grounds westward. Experts warn that, while this is good news for the species, it also reflects the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.
Public cooperation remains essential. Last season, over a thousand volunteers were mobilized to monitor nests, and authorities remind everyone that anyone who finds a turtle or any signs of it should call 112 and keep their distance. The involvement of beachgoers and fishermen has become a fundamental pillar for the conservation of loggerhead turtles on Spanish coasts.
With these milestones, Spain is reinforcing its role as a key location for the recovery of the loggerhead turtle in the Mediterranean. The combination of controlled breeding programs, coordinated rescues, and nest protection is yielding tangible results, although experts insist that much remains to be done to guarantee the future of a species that is gradually recolonizing beaches it had abandoned.
