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Interfering tourists prevent loggerhead turtle lying eggs in Torrevieja
The same sea turtle has made several attempts to nest on beaches across the Orihuela Costa in recent days
A wary loggerhead turtle has again been thwarted in her attempts to lay eggs, this time because of swarms of curious tourists. The tagged turtle, who has been named Merche, made her way onto Playa de Los Locos in Torrevieja on Thursday June 22 shortly after 11pm but quickly decided the beach was too crowded for her liking and returned to the sea.
According to the Crónicas Naturales y Proyecto Mastral Facebook page, hoards of inquisitive holidaymakers crowded around the loggerhead when she started to dig chambers in which to bury her eggs. The post claims that tourists were getting in her way, taking photos of Merche with flash cameras and several actually touched the prospective spawning site, which makes it very unlikely that she will return.
This isn’t the first time the endangered sea turtle’s birthing plans have been frustrated. Her first attempt to lay eggs was witnessed on Cala Capitán on June 16 and the next day, she took her chances on nearby Cala del Bosque and Cala Cerrada. On each occasion, she failed to spawn and returned to the water, but an ultrasound soon established that the eggs simply weren't ready.
"It is probable that now they are," explained one biologist who specialises in studying the breeding cycling of loggerheads, a fact which makes the most recent nesting failure all the more exasperating.
The regional government has placed informative posters at many points along the Orihuela coast to advise bathers and walkers on what to do if they come across a turtle attempting to spawn: basically, leave them to it and call 112 to notify the relevant authorities.
Where Merche will show up next to have her babies is anyone’s guess but her timing couldn't be worse, since most of the Orihuela Costa's beaches will be packed with revellers this weekend celebrating Noche de San Juan with bonfires and all-night parties.
On a more uplifting note, last week Alicante environmentalists celebrated the first successful loggerhead turtle nesting so far this year after an endangered 'caretta caretta' species laid 80 eggs on a beach in Denia.
Image: Crónicas Naturales y Proyecto Mastral
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