In a groundbreaking initiative, a floating rehabilitation center for loggerhead sea turtles has been established off the coast of the Kerkennah Islands in southern Tunisia. This innovative project allows injured turtles to recover in their natural saltwater habitat, enhancing their chances of survival.
The barge features netted enclosures underwater, giving the turtles ample space to move and feed comfortably. Hamed Mallat, a marine biologist leading the UN-funded project, emphasizes the importance of allowing these vulnerable creatures to heal in their natural environment.
Loggerhead sea turtles, known scientifically as Caretta caretta, are classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Approximately 10,000 of these turtles are caught annually in Tunisian waters due to trawling and fishing nets. A significant threat to their population, gillnets account for over 70% of sea turtle deaths in the Mediterranean, according to the EU-funded Life Medturtles project.