Maria Monisteri, mayor of Modica, states that “our sea, our beaches, our Blue Flag coastline, are once again the ideal nesting place for Caretta caretta turtles. A few hours ago, WWF volunteers discovered the first sea turtle nest of 2024 on the beach of Marina di Modica. A hymn to life in an ideal place and a ‘discovery’ that I greet as a sort of stage at the beginning of summer. It is confirmation of the perfect synchrony of our ecosystem in an environment that becomes the ideal place chosen by the sea turtle to nest. During the monitoring of our beaches carried out by WWF volunteers during the egg-laying period of sea turtles – from May to September – turtle traces and the egg-laying ‘chamber’ were identified a couple of days ago, thus confirming the nesting process. Beach composition affects the reproductive success of Caretta caretta sea turtles.”
Samuele Cannizzaro, councilor for the Protection and Defense of Animals, adds: “This moment of extraordinary inspiration from the nature that surrounds us is a small celebration and confirms the choice made by the ‘Life Turtlenest’ project of the European Union, to make Modica a ‘Common friend of turtles’. Our Administration honors the commitment made at the time of appointment on a daily basis: to protect this important marine species. I thank the work of the WWF volunteer Piero Lancetta and the biologist Oriana Prato – responsible for the WWF Sicily Turtle Project – who dedicate themselves to protecting the nests and I thank our Civil Protection for the precious and constant contribution it makes to the protection of our environment as well as to the daily safety tasks it performs. In this circumstance, WWF experts decided to move the eggs to a protected position, away from the risk of storm surges. The monitoring of our coasts continues and the invitation is to anyone who can see traces of the presence of possible nesting, to contact the WWF operators, the only organization authorized by the Ministry of the Environment for the care of Caretta caretta nests in Italy” .
