Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting events are regularly observed along the coasts of Southern Italy. The Aeolian archipelago (Sicily) is particularly rich in diverse habitats potentially suitable for C. caretta reproduction. However, the last credible nesting reports from this region date back to the 1960s and lack convincing evidence.

In 2022, Acta Herpetologica published a detailed account of two confirmed nesting events from 2019, on the islands of Stromboli and Lipari. Each nest was fenced and monitored around the clock to regulate sand temperature and protect against disturbance and predation. On Stromboli, hatchlings were measured and, if alive, transported offshore in plastic buckets and released into the sea. Seventy-two hours after the final emergence, researchers excavated the nest to count unhatched eggs and collect embryos for preservation.

Lipari showed more stable and suitable sand temperatures than Stromboli, both at 10 and 40 cm depths. While nest size and incubation periods were within normal ranges for Caretta caretta, hatching success varied dramatically. Stromboli saw a low success rate of only 20%, likely due to extremely high sand temperatures during the final days of incubation. Unfortunately, the nest in Lipari produced no surviving hatchlings, possibly due to contaminant absorption, pathogenic infection, or the very fine texture of the partially artificial beach.

Despite these challenges, the study demonstrates that the Aeolian archipelago still holds reproductive potential for loggerhead turtles. These findings underscore the need for enhanced monitoring and stronger conservation measures in the region.

Click here to read the full paper and learn more.

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