"I've been in the water since I was six, but I've never had an encounter like this." With these words, Luca Bittau, naturalist and president of the SEA ME Sardinia association, recounts, on the association's Facebook page, the emotion of a rare yet significant encounter: one with a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the crystal-clear waters of the La Maddalena Archipelago .
While snorkeling in a remote corner of the island—which is intentionally not disclosed to protect the site—Bittau spotted the turtle, recognizable by its four ribs, tapered head, and distinctive greenish color. "It seemed calm and in excellent health," he says, "it dived elegantly among the tufts of seagrass; then it surfaced to catch its breath and disappeared back into the blue." An hour later, the encounter was repeated: the turtle was there, resting under a granite boulder. "An unexpected double gift," Bittau comments.
It cannot be ruled out that this is the same specimen spotted in late July by Giampiero Carcangiu and reported to the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park: a clue that could mean the animal spent over two months in the park's waters, finding refuge and food there. Parrotfish and alien runner crabs have also been observed at the same site, signs of a Mediterranean undergoing transformation under the pressure of climate change . The presence of a Chelonia mydas in the heart of the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park is therefore an exceptional event, but also a wake-up call that speaks of an evolving Mediterranean , a sea that is warming, changing its balance, and welcoming new species. The SEA ME Sardinia association has been at the forefront of research, scientific dissemination, and awareness-raising about the sea and its inhabitants for years. Through monitoring activities, educational projects, guided snorkeling, and citizen science, the organization promotes a conscious approach to the sea, based on knowledge, respect, and responsibility.