A month after being rescued in serious condition, a young loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) has returned to the Mediterranean.
The turtle, named Fortuna shortly before her release by young patients from Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, was released from the beach at Palidoro, near Rome, just a few kilometres from the stretch of sea where she was found on 30 July.
Once on the beach, Fortuna headed towards the water without hesitation and swam out to sea, completing a rehabilitation process that began at the Marine Turtle First Aid Centre hosted at Zoomarine.
When rescued, the young turtle was severely weakened and suffering from a significant infection. According to the veterinary team, she may have spent around two weeks with a longline hook lodged in her mouth, connected to a fishing line and a floating container that prevented her from diving and feeding normally.
From 2.08 to 2.56 kilograms
“In one month, Fortuna gained almost a quarter of her weight, going from 2,080 to 2,560 grams,” explained Camillo Sandri, zoological director at Zoomarine.
“When she arrived, she was severely debilitated, had a serious infection and it is plausible that she had spent around two weeks with a longline hook caught in her mouth, connected to a line and a floating container, which prevented her from diving and feeding properly. In addition to removing the hook and treating the infection, we focused on her diet: we started with herring entrails, which are highly nutritious and easy to digest, before gradually introducing whole fish and encouraging her to chase them in the pool. Today she swims strongly and all her clinical parameters have returned to normal. She is a very young individual, between three and five years old: returning her to the sea is particularly important, considering that loggerhead turtles only begin reproducing at around 20–30 years of age.”
Fortuna’s rehabilitation therefore involved not only treating the infection and injuries caused by the fishing gear, but also gradually restoring her ability to feed independently.
A young turtle with decades ahead before reproduction
Fortuna is estimated to be between three and five years old, making her a very young loggerhead turtle. Females of the species do not reach reproductive maturity until decades later.
Her release was attended by representatives of the institutions involved in her rescue and rehabilitation, as well as young patients from Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital and their families. The children chose the name Fortuna shortly before she returned to the sea.
The original rescue had begun with a report from a member of the public, followed by an intervention by the Italian Coast Guard.
“This is one of those cases where collaboration works: attentive citizens report an animal in difficulty and the relevant institutions and facilities are able to act and intervene promptly,” said Emilio Casale, commander of the Rome-Fiumicino Coast Guard.
Protecting the beach where Fortuna returned to the sea
Fortuna’s release also marked the beginning of a conservation initiative on the same stretch of coastline.
Openature Foundation, Zoomarine’s research and conservation organisation, has joined WWF Italy’s “Adotta una Spiaggia” citizen science project, choosing the beach at Palidoro.
Before the release, the team collected four large bags of plastic waste from the beach. The material will be weighed and classified, with the resulting data sent to WWF.
“Cleaning a stretch of coastline used by sea turtles means directly protecting their habitat,” explained Valentina Isaja, scientific director of Openature Foundation. “In this way, we not only reduce the plastic that can reach the sea, but also protect the dunes, potential nesting sites for all the individuals that use this ecosystem.”
For Fortuna, meanwhile, the rehabilitation ended where it was always intended to: back in the Mediterranean.
