The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment of the Balearic Islands, through the Consortium for the Recovery of Wildlife of the Balearic Islands (COFIB), released 34 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) this Tuesday that were born this summer on Can Pere Antoni beach in Palma.
The event, held at 5:00 p.m. on the same beach where the nest was found, was attended by Anna Torres, Director General of Natural Environment and Forest Management; Sebastià Pujol, Director General of Environment of Palma City Council; as well as representatives from COFIB, Palma Aquarium Foundation, LIMIA, Natura Parc Foundation, and volunteers who helped monitor the nest and follow the hatchlings’ development.
According to Anna Torres, “this type of action demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated work between administrations, research centers, and conservation entities, and confirms that the Balearic Islands have a well-established response system for new nesting cases.” She also highlighted that “the consolidation of these protocols not only improves the species’ reproductive success but also provides essential scientific data on its biology and adaptation to the western Mediterranean.”
The nest was discovered last July on Can Pere Antoni beach and contained 77 eggs, of which 67 were naturally incubated and 10 were transferred to an incubator to ensure their viability. Hatching took place on September 6 and 7, resulting in 63 successfully born hatchlings.
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The Balearic Government releases 34 sea turtles born this summer in Can Pere Antoni
Out of these, 39 turtles have joined the “Head Starting” 2025–2026 program, led by COFIB and aligned with the national strategy for the species in collaboration with other Spanish regions. The program involves raising the turtles in a controlled environment for 10 to 12 months, underfeeding and conditions that simulate the natural changes they would experience in the wild. Its goal is to increase their survival rate once released and to enhance scientific understanding of the species’ early life stages. The hatchlings have been distributed among six marine research and conservation centres: LIMIA, CRAM (Catalonia), Palma Aquarium Foundation, Cabrera National Park Visitor Center, and the aquariums of Seville and Gijón.
Today, the remaining 34 turtles, now fully developed, were released back into the sea at their natal beach in a public event that brought together institutions, organizations, and local residents.
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is classified as “Vulnerable” in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species. Although it typically nests in the eastern Mediterranean, it has only begun nesting in the western Mediterranean since the early 21st century—likely due to the increase in sea temperature.