A turtle nest has hatched at Ramla Bay in Gozo, with 81 hatchlings making their way out to sea.

It is the third such occurrence this year and the third nest to be discovered after being spotted by volunteers from Nature Trust Malta last month.

In a statement on Saturday evening, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) said 81 of the 88 eggs in the nest had hatched, with all but 12 of the hatchlings making their way out to sea.

The authority said five more nests were “expected to hatch soon in this record-breaking season.”

“As these little turtles make their way out to sea, we’re asking everyone to be extra careful around the nesting sites. If you’re lucky enough to witness a hatching, please avoid using lights or flash photography, and keep noise to a minimum”, it said.

ERA also thanked the public and the volunteers for their cooperation and efforts this season.

Volunteers bid farewell the hatchlings as they begin their journey. Photo: ERA.

While Saturday saw the hatchlings leave Gozo’s shores, there is a chance they may return; sea turtles return to the beach they hatched on to nest, even decades later.

However, the chances of a hatchling making it to adulthood remain slim; according to the US’ National Ocean Service, few hatchlings survive to adulthood, with estimates ranging from one in 1,000 to one in 10,000.

The species, now endangered, is in decline due to several factors including accidental trapping and entanglement in fishing nets, ingesting plastic bags – mistaking them for jellyfish – strikes from boat propellors and the destruction of nesting sites, among other reasons, according to Nature Trust Malta.

The first hatchling of the season made its way out to sea last month, amid a record number of turtle nests to be discovered this summer.