Turtles found in Gibraltar

© HM Government of Gibraltar

One of the stranded turtles.

THE officers of the Environmental Protection and Research Unit of the Department of the Environment and Climate Change (DECC) saw the year close with the stranding of two Loggerhead turtles (classified as being part of a vulnerable species), the first at Eastern Beach and the second at Catalan Bay.

The first loggerhead was still alive when the officers attended but died quickly after their arrival. The officers examined the specimens in an attempt to establish the causes of death and the first specimen showed evidence of having ingested fishing gear used in long-line fishery.

The cause of death of the second sea turtle is believed to have been a collision with a vessel and it appeared that it had been floating at sea for some time and was in a bad state when it washed ashore. 

The data gathered from these incidents will be added to the DECC’s marine monitoring programme.

The public in Gibraltar and any visitors who spot any seabird of marine creature in distress have been asked to report such sightings to the Department of the Environment and Climate Change on-call number 58009620 or to email them at marine.monitoring@gibraltar.gov.gi.

 

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