Doris and Carmine, two turtles that were released off Malta last December after a two-year rehabilitation, are now on their own after satellite trackers attached to them on their release stopped transmitting their location.

“The transmitters' lifetime has now come to an end. Doris has reached the Tunisian coast while Carmine has swum as far as the coast of Barcelona,” Nature Trust announced on Facebook.

Animal lovers have been following the adventures of Doris and Carmine ever since they were released from Malta in December 2018. 

Doris’ days 

Doris' journey

Doris was the first to set off, on December 11. The loggerhead turtle had been found in a dire state around three kilometres off Malta in October 2016. She had been caught up in significant amounts of marine debris, with nets having cut off circulation to her left hind flipper.

Vets had to amputate it and Doris spent two years gradually regaining strength and learning to cope without a flipper. She was named Doris -  a name given to her by the fisherman who rescued her. 

Since her release, Doris’ headed south before getting stuck in a Tunisian channel – requiring the intervention of the Tunisian environment authorities to get her out into the open sea – where she was last seen.

Carmine’s cruises

Carmine's journey took her to Barcelona.

Then, on Christmas Eve 2018, it was Carmine’s turn to be released.  Carmine was rescued in December 2016 when it came up the slipway at Marsaxlokk with a rope, a net and a tree branch all entangled around one of its rear flippers. A police officer, called Carmine, called Nature Trust for help. 

Due to the tight entanglement, which had cut off all circulation, the flipper was lost, but after two years of rehabilitation, the turtle was fit enough to release. Carmine was more adventurous than Doris, venturing around Sardinia and Corsica before reaching Barcelona.

Threats to turtle's lives

A dead turtle believed to have been hit by a speedboat.

Both turtles had been fitted with a satellite tracker with a five-month battery life, that ended this week.  

“Such cases get a lot of attention from the public and help us create awareness,” said Nature Trust President Vince Attard, adding that Nature Trust is hoping to release another turtle in September and attach a tracking device being sponsored by Delicata Wines. Each device costs some €5,000 to buy and track. 

Mr Attard added that there are three main threats to turtles: entanglement in nets and floating debris, getting caught in fishermen’s long lines, and being hit by speedboats. Just this weekend a dead loggerhead was found in the North of Malta. He said that Nature Trust is currently caring for eight rescued turtles.

The public can call the Nature Trust rescue line 99999505 should they see injured turtles or protected wildife in danger.