Diana's daughters jumped into the sea tonight

José Luis Fdez-Checa The tiny turtles, following their instincts and under the watchful eye of the volunteers who have been watching over their nest for the past few nights, have attempted to run toward the dark waters of the Mediterranean as soon as they emerged from their shells.

At around 10:30 p.m. last night, the first tiny turtle head appeared in the sand of the nest on Las Albaranas beach in Dénia. Then, little by little, more appeared until, in just half an hour, dozens of tiny turtles emerged from the buried nest.

Blanca Feliu, from the NGO Eucrante, one of the people who was present at the hatching of the eggs, explained to EFE that about 70 turtles were born tonight, but that there are still about thirty left that will probably emerge in the next few hours or perhaps tomorrow night.

The volunteers carefully collected them, barely illuminated by the nearby city lights and the red glow of some flashlights, and placed them in a specially designed box. They had to wait for the arrival of researchers from the University of Valencia and veterinarians from L'Oceanografic to gather data and ensure they were all well before releasing them to sea.

The nests and the fence that houses them were surrounded by people: some of the volunteers who have been or expect to be on guard in the coming days, as well as local residents. Under the red glow of the lights used to avoid disturbing the newborns, everyone spoke in low voices, as if there was no point in frightening the chicks even more.

Researchers from the University of Valencia have finally arrived and have taken various data from the tiny turtles, such as their shell dimensions. Shortly after, veterinarians from L'Oceamografic in Valencia arrived, inspecting the hatchlings and checking their mobility, among other things. Apparently, all of them were in perfect health: one of the veterinarians highlighted their genetic heritage.

Diana, a regular in Dénia

Their mother, Diana, a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), chose Denia to lay her eggs. In 2023, the first time she was observed on these beaches, a satellite tracking device was installed, which this year made it possible to locate the four clutches she laid.

Diana chose the urban beach of Marineta Casiana for her offspring, but technicians decided to move her to a more suitable location in the area known as Las Marinas. There, last week, the Dénia City Council, with the support of the NGOs Eucrante and Xaloc, installed a protective fence and a volunteer camp to monitor and protect the eggs.

The first of the nests hatched tonight. After inspections by scientists and veterinarians, the chicks were released. They have been brought close to the water, where they will face many dangers in the coming years: it is estimated that only one in a thousand reaches adulthood, victims of predators and, among other things, trapped in fishing nets or affected by the plastics that flood the seas.

The release, in front of around thirty people behind the fences set up for the occasion, was as fast as it was exciting.

From the moment the crates they were placed in were opened until they reached the sea, barely fifteen minutes passed: some moved very nimbly, but for others, any mound, even a simple clump of dried seaweed, seemed to become a formidable obstacle. Some even got stuck, and several seemed confused, unable to find their way to the water.

The volunteers gave them a hand, putting them on the right path: in the end, they all reached the shore and there, in seconds, they quickly disappeared into the water.

Toni Martínez, a technician from the Denia City Council, after declaring the release over, made one last request to those present: he explained that it wouldn't be a bad idea for someone to explore the beach; it's quite likely that some of the pups will return to the shore in the next few hours and get caught in the riptides. They'll need to be helped back to the sea.

The onlookers, technicians, and scientists left shortly afterward. Only four volunteers remained to continue monitoring the nests.

The camp will remain open until all the turtles are born, until Diana's last clutch of eggs hatch this year, at the end of August. EFE