Turfing out turtles in Altea

ALTEA town hall has launched a awareness campaign to remove Florida turtles from the mouth of the River Algar.
The Environment department is also impressing on the public the importance of keeping down the population of these invasive and non-native turtles.
“They have usually been bought as pets and very often, when they become too big to handle, their owners release them in the river,” explained Altea’s Environment councillor Jose Orozco.
“This leads to an imbalance in native species, affecting the health of the river and the reproduction of other animals,” he added.
“These turtles are responsible for various environmental problems and they can indirectly affect public health.”
His department is currently trapping the turtles which are humanely transferred to the Wildlife Recovery Centre in Santa Faz near Alicante City.
“Principally what we are doing is contributing to improving the River Algar’s environment and reminding the local that it is inappropriate to release household pets in natural spaces,” Orozco concluded.