Sea turtles lay their eggs on holiday beaches in Mallorca. For example, a month ago, a hawksbill turtle laid 106 eggs directly on the city beach of the capital Palma, which is usually overcrowded and littered. Foreign students saw the animal while visiting the beach on the Spanish Mediterranean island and called 911.
This week, Palma Aquarium announced a new find. On Monday, 82 eggs were found and excavated in the German holiday resort of Cala Millor, which, according to a swimmer, had already been laid on the beach last Friday. Mallorcan media spoke of a “sensation”. Experts now suspect the unusual phenomenon is related to human-induced climate change.
The authority for the protection of species in the Balearic Islands COFIB (Consorci de Recuperació de Fauna de les Illes Balears) and employees of the Palma Aquarium are now taking care of the eggs. Some of them were taken to a lab to hatch, the rest remain locked up and under constant surveillance on the beach. The first baby turtles are expected to hatch in late July.
Animals actually nest in the eastern Mediterranean
More eggs are likely to be laid in the coming years, as the turtles are known to almost always return to the beach where they were born. Actually, in the eastern Mediterranean, the reptiles nest on beaches on the coasts of Greece, Cyprus and southern Turkey.
As sea temperatures have continued to rise in recent years, the animals have likely sought cooler waters. The sea off Mallorca is currently unusually warm at around 28 degrees due to a new heat wave.
Source: Krone
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