The first loggerhead turtle mother to lay her eggs in the Valencia region this summer chose the beach at Arenales del Sol in Elche.
Marine biologists from the Oceanogràfic foundation were alerted early on Tuesday morning and headed to the area, where they found a nest with 109 eggs.
The alert had been sounded by beach cleaning staff from Elche city hall, who spotted the turtle.
A spokesperson for the Oceanogràfic said the nest had been moved to a quieter spot in a protected area at nearby Playa Carabassí.
A total of 21 of the eggs have been taken to the Oceanogràfic sea life centre so they can hatch in captivity as part of the ‘head-starting’ programme that allows turtles to grow to a size where they have a high chance of surviving when they reach the sea.
Anyone who spots a turtle on the beach is asked to call 112 so the turtle protocol can be activated.
Full report in Friday’s Costa Blanca News
