Turtle fails to nest at Armier Bay after sunbeds block path
Nature Trust warn beachgoers to avoid leaving obstacles on the beach for nesting turtles to encounter
A turtle gave up trying to nest in Armier Bay after sunbeds left on the beach blocked her path, an environmental NGO said on Saturday.
In a Facebook post, Nature Trust-FEE Malta Wildlife Rescue Team said it received a call on Thursday evening that a turtle was trying to nest at the bay in Mellieħa.
Nest coordinators, together with an Environment and Resources Authority official, arrived within five minutes of the call, but the turtle had already returned to the sea.
The turtle's tracks showed that she had to detour twice because sunbeds were in its way.
"When turtles are unable to nest due to obstacles in their way, being disturbed by humans/animals or because the conditions are not right, they might return on the same night/following nights, but they might also dump the eggs in the sea," the statement said.
The NGO will continue to monitor the area over the coming nights, in the hope she will return.
Nature Trust also asked the public to flatten any sandcastles built or fill in any holes dug during their time at the beach, to avoid creating obstacles for turtles.
"We're finding massive craters on the beaches, which, apart from being a hazard to nesting turtles, can also be a hazard to humans walking on the beach at night."
Last summer saw six turtle nests across Malta and Gozo, and the NGO confirmed that 319 turtles were born.
Correction: It was earlier reported that the turtle failed to nest at Golden Bay. It was actually Armier Bay.