Mojácar Council has joined the “Here we save turtles” awareness-raising campaign. An initiative which aims to educate the public about how to behave when they find a marine turtle on our coastline..

This initiative was started in 2019 by the Oceanographic Foundation. It has been growing, the Azul Marino Foundation and Palma Aquarium Foundation joining, and extending to the Balearic Islands and Murcia Region, incorporating also the Seville Aquarium with the participation of Andalucia localities, there now being 80 municipalities that have joined the campaign.
This action, which also has the collaboration of the Junta de Andalucía and the Andalucian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FAMP), is possible thanks to the collaboration of councils like that of Mojácar, which has backed this educational campaign to protect these animals through different actions.
To maximise the reach of this campaign, posters have been put in the municipality’s MUPIS (Urban Furniture Information Presentation), and the manual of good practices is publicised on the Council’s social media and website, as well as making people who have a relation with the beach aware of the importance, every morning, of looking out for tracks on the beach. Bathers and travellers are also informed about the presence of marine turtles on the Mediterranean coasts, so that in the event of a sighting they can call 112 and activate the Strandings Network.
An environmental workshop on the Lance Nuevo beach is planned for the 24th of August from 11am about marine turtles, conservation and good environmental practices where experts from the Seville Aquarium will carry out a citizen awareness-raising action. At this workshop participants will learn about the biology of these incredible animals, they will learn what they should do if they come across a turtle in danger, how to detect the trail left by a turtle on the beach when it’s going to lay eggs and how with small, everyday changes we can put an end to its main threats.
It would not be the first time that a marine turtle chooses the beaches of Mojácar to nest. Last year, in June 2022, 20 small loggerhead turtles which were born in the municipality were returned to the sea. The turtle tracks on the sand were spotted by a resident who alerted 112, deploying an entire protection and rescue network.
Before setting out on this adventure which led them to freedom, these 20 little loggerhead turtles spent their first days of life in the Algeciras marine environment recovery centre, CEGMA, which belongs to the Junta de Andalucía.
Four very delicate months in the survival of this species, but in this centre, they now have the experience in the care of neonatal or recently born turtles necessary for their survival.
The fact that the turtles nested here is a phenomenon that is occurring on many points of the Spanish coast and it’s necessary to be prepared. It is important to have a good network of coordination and work at a technical level.
The nesting season is well underway. It’s impossible to know if they will return to the beaches of Mojácar or not, but in any event, it is very important if you see the tracks of a turtle on the beach or even the female itself, not to touch anything or bother it with photos or a flash and to immediately call 112.