The Arbatax Naval Base of the Forestry and Environmental Protection Corps is carrying out further operations on the Ogliastra coast.
Officers responded to Museddu beach in Cardedu following a report from a resident who, in the early hours of the morning, had noticed several baby sea turtles wandering near the S'Arena ice cream stand . The woman immediately contacted the Forestry Corps' environmental emergency number 1515, allowing the operations room to be promptly activated and officers from the Naval Base dispatched to the scene.
During the night, a previously unknown Caretta caretta nest had hatched: it was the twelfth nest discovered this year in Sardinia.
Upon arriving on site, Naval Base officers recovered about ten juveniles that had burrowed under the kiosk's structure, attracted during the night by the bright lights in the area. The specimens were immediately rescued and released back into the sea.
An inspection of the beach revealed numerous tracks left by the chicks in the sand. Many were directed toward the sea, but were clearly diverted by the numerous streetlights on the coastal road and the kiosks along the beach. By retracing the tracks, the Forestry Corps personnel were able to pinpoint the exact location of the nest, which was immediately secured.
The site will be monitored in the coming days by officers from the Arbatax Naval Base, to ensure that any further births can make their way to the sea independently and unhindered. To this end, a request has been made to the Mayor to issue an order turning off the streetlights on the nearby coastal road for a few days. At the same time, nearby kiosk operators have also been asked to turn off any lights facing the beach . Reducing artificial lighting is, in fact, the most effective measure to avoid disorientation of the chicks during the most delicate stages of hatching.
(Union)
