The two turtles released last Saturday by Queen Sofia at the Las Teresitas beach in Santa Cruz de Tenerife did not stay in the sea, contrary to what was expected. In fact, they had to be returned to the tanks of the La Tahonilla Wildlife Recovery Centre where they had been for several months.
The loggerhead turtles, named Lemon and Elma by the Queen, were supposed to return to the sea after four months in the centre’s tanks located in La Laguna. The turtles had been rescued and rehabilitated after suffering injuries from getting trapped in fishing nylon. However, the release conditions at the event held at the beach were not suitable for this species. The two loggerhead turtles will be released again tomorrow, Tuesday, in better conditions that will facilitate their return and adaptation to the open sea.
One of the turtles being introduced to Las Teresitas beach. / Andrés Gutiérrez
The high number of people who attended the release event exposed Lemon and Elma to a stressful situation. The presence of divers ensuring the exit of the sea turtles through the beach’s outlet also hindered the two specimens. Furthermore, the coastal beach where the release took place did not meet the adequate conditions for returning the turtles to their natural habitat. The entry to the open sea was not direct, as they had to pass through the breakwater area, so Lemon and Elma did not ultimately leave the beach and were picked up by the staff of La Tahonilla.
“I was asked to stay with the turtle because it was returning to the Centre, but not to take it to the shore until the Queen and authorities had left”
Felipe Ravina, director of the documentary “Saving Tenerife,” was one of the divers monitoring and recording the turtles’ return to their habitat. On his social networks, he denounces the poor condition in which the turtles were “heading towards the rocks.” He also points out that, “I was asked to stay with her because she was returning to the Centre, but not to take her to shore until the Queen and authorities had left.” All this, he claims, in an event where the goal was to raise awareness about the importance of caring for the environment.
The turtles that will be released this Tuesday belong to the loggerhead turtle species or Caretta Caretta. They are mainly found in the warm seas and oceans of the planet and are one of the most common marine turtle species in Canarias along with the common, green, and leatherback turtles. This endangered species is affected by plastic ingestion and limb damage due to nylon, nets, and other fishing materials in which they get entangled. The La Tahonilla Centre’s work is to receive, care for, and reintroduce injured wild animals from the island. Annually, they can attend to around 3,500 specimens of animals, of which up to 100 may be turtles.
