|
This is a short note to recapitulate Kelonia's last important events of June 2010. First was the 'Seas and World Ocean' days, held between the 4th and 8th of June. On that occasion, Kelonia organised the release of two juvenile green turtles. The release of turtles to the wild is usually an event organised for school children, but it is now extended to a larger public. Sixteen persons, among them 8 children from 4 to 11 years old, participated in the event. The Mayor of St-Leu was also present.
Despite a weather forecast not very favourable to a sea outing, the participants took the 3-month old green turtles to the open waters and watched them going back to their natural environment. As always, they came back very pleased to be part of the conservation programmes for marine turtles on Reunion Island.
 These 3-month old green turtles are special since they are the last wild clutch reported on Reunion Island earlier this year. At the beginning of March, a beachgoer and his son discovered a dehydrated and weak hatchling on Cap La Houssaye beach. Surprised and concerned with the state of the hatchling, they brought it to Kelonia. Later in the afternoon, Stephane Ciccione and a few members of the care centre went to the place where the hatchling was found, and they discovered higher up on the beach the nest from which it came. After digging, they found the rest of the clutch.
Unfortunately, half of it was hatched but dead. The remaining animals were still alive but weakened. The most vigorous hatchlings were left to run on the beach to find the sea. A total of 25 hatchlings were taken back to the care centre, weighed and measured. The next day about 11 of them died, too weak to survive despite the care. The rest survived and stayed in the care centre until they were in better shape to be released. Three of them had already returned to their natural environment with a small group of Kelonia's subscribers. The last two named Mali and Father Christmas by the children, swam through the open waters for the first time.
In the mean time, two classes from Montelimar (France) had the chance to discover Kelonia's care centre during the tourism festival organised during those days. The classes had the opportunity to talk with the persons in charge of the centre and discovered the rest of the juveniles waiting to be released.
The link below reports the release of the juveniles in french:
http://www.linfo.re/-Societe-/Deux-bebes-tortues-retrouvent-l-ocean?ps=122982#article
This feature was kindly contributed by:
Marie LAURET-STEPLER
Environmental Educator and Research Assistant
Kélonia, l'observatoire des tortues marines
46 rue du Général de Gaulles
97436 St Leu
La Réunion
|
print
