Cristina is preparing to dive, tomorrow, into the open waters of the Gulf of Asinara, Elisabetta is waiting for her health conditions to improve and so is Kikka. The three Caretta caretta sea turtles are in the Crama clinic, the Marine Animal Recovery Center of the Asinara National Park, a point of reference in Northern Sardinia for the hospitalization of such specimens, which has come into full operation thanks to the collaboration with the Marine Protected Area of Capo Caccia and the National Park of the Archipelago of La Maddalena.
"Six hospitalizations were recorded in the last few months, followed by three releases that occurred recently, a constant work that keeps us busy all year round", explains Laura Pireddu of the Crama staff, made up of operators, expert biologists and veterinarians, such as Valeria Sanna, Michela Zappata and Giovannantonio Pilo. The next release is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 27 June, in the sea of La Madonnina beach in Castelsardo. This time it is Cristina's turn, who ended up in a fishing net that risked causing her death by drowning in plastic. She will return free in front of a crowd of onlookers who will enthusiastically welcome the resumption of her journey.
Also waiting to recover in the Crama hospitalisation tanks are Elisabetta, who was found some time ago by a diver from Alghero with an amputated limb, and Kikka, who was found wrapped in plastic, a material that caused two fractures to her front limbs.
"Every year we hospitalize about 10-15 specimens," adds Pireddu, "thanks to the collaboration with the emergency room of the Porto Conte Park and the national one of La Maddalena, which are required to report to us the animals in difficulty identified in their areas, to then transfer them to Asinara to receive the right care." For the extraordinary commissioner of the Park Gianluca Mureddu and for the director Vittorio Gazale, "the Crama center is an international excellence, with cutting-edge technologies and a staff that deals with monitoring, as well as the recovery of specimens of turtles and small cetaceans." Among the main causes of turtle hospitalization are plastic pollution, accidental ingestion of fishing hooks and accidents with boats.