We introduce you to Cris, a loggerhead turtle, of the species ‘caretta caretta’, rescued from the coast of Almeria last July, where it was found stranded. Its recovery has been carried out at the Centro de Gestión Sostenible del Medio Marino Andaluz (CEGMA) in Algeciras, where it had to undergo surgery on one of its flippers. "It had to be treated and cured, especially on its right front flipper, which finally had to be amputated, as it was entangled in a net as a result of the pollution in our oceans", said the councillor for the Environment, Marco Cortés (PP).
- Cris lleva una marca satelital que permitirá conocer sus movimientos.
- PATRICIA MURILLO
Cortés also stressed that this is the first time that a sea turtle release has been proposed on the coast of Mijas: "We are very happy and I have asked them that it is not the last one and that more are carried out in our town so that we can share it with more Mijeños".
For his part, the Marine Environment Coordinator for Malaga, Manuel Gordona, pointed out that this type of action has also been carried out in other areas of the Costa del Sol, but that in the specific case of Cris it is being done on the Mijas coast because the Sheriff beach "is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and is a strategic point when it comes to releasing a species of this type".
- El concejal de Medio Ambiente, Marco Cortés, ha sido el encargado de la puesta en libertad de Cris.
- PATRICIA MURILLO
Cris' recovery
At first, at CEGMA, Cris underwent a complete check-up, x-rays and an analysis of its haematocrit and total proteins. Blood samples were also taken and sent to the Centro de Análisis y Diagnóstico de Fauna Salvaje de Málaga, where an exhaustive analysis of his case was carried out. The chelonian was found in very poor condition, as explained by veterinarian Alejandra Cerezo: "It was very dehydrated, thin, quite weak, and also had one of its fins entangled, which caused a necropsy".
At CEGMA, an initial treatment was established, consisting of intravenous rehydration, antibiotherapy and treatment and debridement of the limb, and subsequently, the limb was amputated at the distal humerus and a daily treatment schedule was established to ensure the success of its recovery.
- La suelta de la tortuga marina se ha llevado a cabo en la playa del Sherif.
- PATRICIA MURILLO
Despite the loss of this flipper, as you can see in the photos, Cris is in perfect condition. "As soon as we put it in the water it started eating, this is always good news for this type of animal, little by little, and with patience, it has recovered and we have had the opportunity to return it to its environment, which is where it belongs", Cerezo assured.
For the next six months or so it will carry a satellite tag on its shell, which has been placed by the Oceanografic in Valencia. "This tag emits a signal every time it comes out of the water and when a satellite passes by and detects it, it gives us the location where it is", said the veterinarian, who added that "in this way we can track where it is moving and it also allows us to study this species, which is otherwise very difficult because it is always in the water".
After completing its recovery process, Cris is now swimming again...in the wild.
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