On Friday, twenty-sixth September twenty twenty-five, Poniente Beach in Benidorm witnessed an emotional return to the sea for nine loggerhead turtles, known scientifically as Caretta caretta. These turtles were hatched in August twenty twenty-four and have spent the past year under the care of L’Oceanogràfic as part of a conservation programme aimed at ensuring their survival during critical early life stages. The event coincided with World Tourism Day and was attended by local schoolchildren, residents, tourists, municipal representatives, and staff from the Oceanographic Foundation.

Benidorm’s mayor, Toni Pérez, along with the councillor for Beaches and Environment, Mónica Gómez, emphasised the significance of the event to the students, noting that loggerhead turtles select beaches with healthy sand and clean waters. He expressed pride in the fact that Benidorm has seen these turtles return for two consecutive years. The release served not only as a public spectacle but also had an educational aspect, with specialists explaining how to behave if a marine turtle is spotted on the coast, thereby raising awareness for the protection of this species.

The journey of these turtles began in August twenty twenty-four, when a mother turtle laid twenty-seven eggs on Poniente Beach. The eggs were subsequently collected by experts from the Institut Cavanilles of the Universitat de València and transferred to L’Oceanogràfic. From these eggs, nine hatchlings were raised for a year, utilising a head starting programme which enhances their size and strength before they face natural challenges, ultimately improving their chances of survival in the wild.

Twenty twenty-five has been a remarkable year for turtle nesting along the Valencian coastline, with twelve loggerhead nests documented across various locations including Castellón, Valencia, and Alicante. This increase makes it one of the most prolific years for the species in the Comunitat Valenciana, highlighting the region’s importance in the loggerhead turtle’s colonisation of the western Mediterranean. Loggerhead turtles are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, facing threats such as the loss of nesting beaches, pollution, accidental capture, and the effects of climate change.