Massa Lubrense, three sea turtles released in the Punta Campanella Reserve

Three turtles have found freedom in the sea of Puolo to Massa Lubrensezone C of the Marine Protected Area of Punta Campanella. The three specimens of Caretta Caretta, two subadult females and one adult male, thus resume their journey in the Mediterranean after a few months of forced stop and treatment. One of the females already has eggs and will be ready to nest in a few weeks.

The Caretta Carettas had been saved in winter thanks to the prompt intervention of the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area and the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station. With the fundamental and precious support of the fishermen of Salerno, Antonio Mai and Luigi Guida. The 3 turtles, at different times, had been accidentally captured during the usual fishing trips off the Gulf of Salerno. Entangled in the nets, they risked dying from drowning or embolism due to rising too quickly from the depths of the sea. Accidents which unfortunately happen very often, especially in the winter months, when the Caretta Carettas are numb from the cold and more vulnerable.

And for this reason it is essential not to immediately put them back into the sea once they have been caught. They may not survive. But Rita, Noemi and Kevin, these are the names of the three turtles released today, they were lucky. The fishermen immediately alerted the Amp Punta Campanella which recovered the specimens by transferring them to the turtle recovery center of the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station. After months in the tanks to undergo specialized treatments, today we finally returned to the sea from Puolo beach, in front of children and school groups invited to participate in the event after having participated in an Environmental Education project with the Marine Protected Area in recent months . The event, made possible thanks to the collaboration of the operators and local associations of Puolo, was also attended by the president and director of the Amp Punta Campanella, Lucio Cacace and Lucio De Maio. The Port Authority was also present.

The collaboration between Amp Punta Campanella, fishermen, Anton Dohrn Zoological Station and the Harbor Office has already saved dozens of sea turtles in recent years. A network of bodies and institutions, in this case beneficial for the Caretta Caretta, which will continue its work to protect the species in an even more effective way thanks to the forthcoming opening of a first aid center in Massa Lubrense financed by Campania region. The turtle protection network will also be active in the summer months throughout the region to identify and monitor Caretta Caretta nests along the Campania coasts, especially in the Cilento and Castelvolturno areas.

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