The Salina loggerhead turtle, returned to the sea by Porto d’Abrigo – Zoomarine Marine Species Rehabilitation Center in 2022, after a year of recovery, has traveled 9,203 kilometers since its release. The route was recorded through satellite monitoring and served as the basis for a pioneering study, which combines telemetry and genetic analysis — the second carried out in the Algarve with rehabilitated turtles and the first to cross-reference movement data with genetic information.
According to Zoomarine, the satellite transmitter made it possible to obtain continuous data on movements, environmental conditions and potential interactions with human activities. At a time when six of the seven species of sea turtles are threatened, this information contributed to deepening knowledge about migratory routes, feeding areas and connections between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations, particularly in the case of the loggerhead turtle.
The data was essential for the study “Tracking and Genetic Analysis of a Rehabilitated Loggerhead Turtle in the Mediterranean”which reinforces international understanding of population connectivity and environmental factors that influence the species’ movements.
From bycatch to long-distance migration
Salina was rescued in June 2021 by fishermen on the Guadiana River, trapped in fishing equipment and with signs of anemia, as well as a hook lodged in her stomach. After twelve months of rehabilitation in Porto d’Abrigo, he regained the physical condition and underwater behavior necessary to return to sea.
Released in 2022, she immediately began her migration, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in just six days and entering the Mediterranean. In the following months, it traveled through the Alboran Sea, approached the coasts of Morocco and Algeria, crossed the Balearics, continued along Sardinia and ended up remaining between Sicily and Calabria. Telemetry made it possible to define routes, feeding areas and environmental conditions associated with their journey, while genetic analysis collected at the time of release helped to contextualize the population origin.
The transmitter signal was later lost — a common phenomenon due to limited battery life — but it is known that Salina survived at least 392 dias after rehabilitation, with behavior patterns compatible with the species.
“Each monitored animal becomes a source of knowledge”
For João Neves, Director of Conservation at , “Salina’s journey demonstrates that the impact of Porto d’Abrigo goes far beyond rehabilitation and return to the sea. Each monitored animal becomes a valuable source of knowledge, capable of guiding research, informing public policies and improving the way we protect threatened marine species. It is this connection between science and conservation that amplifies the value of our work.”
Created in 2002, Porto d’Abrigo was the first national center dedicated to the rehabilitation of marine species and remains committed to research, conservation and sharing of data that contribute to protecting species and habitats.
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