Boomerang was released into the sea off San Giovanni di Sinis after months of care at the rescue center . And it's not the first time it's happened. The loggerhead whale, approximately 50 years old, weighing 88 kilograms and measuring 88 centimeters in length, has been rescued seven times by the same fisherman who encountered her, always in the Marceddì pond , in the Terralba area. A record, in short.
The first time it happened in 2010: but Boomerang never suffered any serious injuries and the animal's conditions allowed each time to start the rehabilitation process necessary to return her to normal life.
sea.
"The Sea Turtle Recovery Center represents a truly valuable asset for our region: specimens from all over Sardinia arrive here and receive the care they need to return to the sea," said Cabras Mayor Andrea Abis . "It is the result of a great synergy between various stakeholders: the Municipality, through the Marine Protected Area, ensures the facility's ongoing maintenance and the conditions necessary to host the ten tanks, while the work of the Regional Network and the CNR (National Research Council) is crucial. It is a system that succeeds in producing concrete results, like the one we are celebrating today."
The release was attended by numerous residents, visitors, and especially students from the schools of Cabras and Riola, who were able to witness the animal's return to the sea firsthand. The day began at the CReS, where the public learned about the Center's activities and the daily work dedicated to marine wildlife recovery, thanks to tours led by young Sea Scouts and researchers. "We are particularly pleased that the schools of Cabras and Riola are participating in this day," added Environment Councilor Carlo Carta . "The Administration supports the students' transportation to allow them to experience experiences like this firsthand. It is through knowledge, direct experience, and contact with those who work daily to protect the sea that environmental education finds its most complete expression."
"For our students, participating in a day like this means turning environmental education into a concrete experience," says Headmaster Paolo Figus . "Seeing the workers' work up close, learning about Boomerang's history, and witnessing its return to the sea allows students to understand that environmental protection isn't an abstract concept, but something that directly concerns each of us."
Boomerang's release is the result of the work of the Regional Network for the Conservation of Marine Fauna in Sardinia, which brings together institutions, the Forestry and Environmental Protection Corps, the Coast Guard, Marine Protected Areas, rescue centers, researchers, and the public. "Today we are returning an adult animal, potentially capable of reproducing, to the sea, and it is a great satisfaction," says Andrea Camedda, head of the CReS . "But Boomerang also provides us with valuable information about the area: the fact that he continues to return suggests he uses this area for feeding. The Sinis and the Gulf of Oristano are therefore not just passageways, but also important foraging areas. The Gulf is extremely rich in food, thanks in part to the seagrass meadows, which serve as a sort of nursery for many species, and even more so thanks to the marsh environments. Boomerang's presence therefore also tells us about the quality of these ecosystems, thanks to the presence of the Marine Protected Area."
"The CNR represents the scientific component of the Regional Network for the Conservation of Marine Fauna in Sardinia," explains Andrea De Lucia of the CNR . "The organization we have built over the years stems from the desire to work as a team, bringing together diverse expertise and stakeholders. The primary organizers of the network are the Port Authority and the Forestry Corps, and citizens play a fundamental role in this respect, as they can actively contribute by reporting the presence of animals in distress."
Port Authority Commander Francesco Ricci expressed his satisfaction: "It's a particularly happy day, because the Coast Guard is very attentive to everything that happens along our coast and to the relationship between human activities and the marine habitat. Witnessing the release of Boomerang is deeply moving: in moments like this, we feel part of a system larger than ourselves, in which humanity is called to place itself at the service of nature and make a concrete contribution to its protection."