21 sea turtles born in València return to the sea at El Saler beach

El Saler beach became the setting this morning for the release of 21 young sea turtles (loggerhead sea turtles). They have been cared for over the past year at the Oceanogràfic of València as part of the Head Starting conservation programme, promoted by its Foundation. This protocol greatly increases their chances of survival in the open sea: while only 1 in 1,000 turtles survives in the wild, with Head Starting, up to 90% reach adulthood.

In recent years, the number of loggerhead turtle nests on the Valencian coast has increased significantly, a phenomenon likely linked to climate change. In just the last two years, 17 nests have been recorded in the Region of Valencia — two of them on El Saler beach.

The nest from which today’s turtles come was discovered on the night of San Juan, 23 June 2024. Part of the eggs were moved to a safe area of the Albufera Natural Park, while the rest were incubated at the Oceanogràfic.

Since the start of the Head Starting programme, more than 600 sea turtles have been successfully released in the Region of Valencia thanks to the collaboration of public institutions, scientists, private partners, and also local residents and travellers who spotted turtles, tracks, or nests on the beaches of València and followed the conservation guidelines.