A loggerhead turtle named Salina, released back into the sea by Porto d’Abrigo, the Zoomarine Marine Species Rehabilitation Centre, in 2022 after a year of treatment, has travelled a staggering 9,203 kilometres since her return to the wild.
At a time when six of the world’s seven marine turtle species are threatened, the research into her behaviour has helped expand knowledge of migratory routes, feeding grounds, and the links between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations, particularly in the case of the loggerhead turtle.
Rescued in June 2021 by fishermen on the River Guadiana, Salina was found entangled in fishing gear, showing signs of anemia, and had somehow wound up with a hook lodged in her stomach.
After twelve months of intensive rehabilitation at Porto d’Abrigo, she made a full recovery, regaining the physical condition and underwater behaviour benchmarks required to ensure her safe return to the sea.
Following her release in 2022, Salina began migrating almost immediately, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in just six days, before then entering the Mediterranean.
In the months that followed, she travelled through the Alboran Sea, approached the coasts of Morocco and Algeria, crossed the Balearic Islands, rounded Sardinia, and settled between Sicily and Calabria.
Satellite monitoring made it possible to map her routes, feeding grounds, and the environmental factors influencing the species’ presence and movements, while genetic analysis conducted at the moment of release helped place her within a specific population group.
Although monitoring ended when the transmitter’s signal was lost (a common occurrence due to limited battery life) researchers know that Salina survived for at least 392 days after rehabilitation, displaying behaviour consistent with that of wild loggerheads.
The data collected now contribute to wider research and conservation efforts, helping identify critical habitats and fishing-related risk zones.
“Salina’s journey shows that the impact of Porto d’Abrigo extends far beyond rehabilitation and release. Each monitored animal becomes a valuable source of knowledge, capable of guiding research, informing public policy, and improving how we protect threatened marine species. This connection between science and conservation is what amplifies the value of our work,” said João Neves, Zoomarine’s Director of Conservation.
Created in 2002, Porto d’Abrigo was the first national centre dedicated to the rehabilitation of marine species and remains committed to research, conservation, and the sharing of research data that support the protection of species and habitats.
Source: Sul Informação
Photo credit: Sul Informação
