Salina, the sub-adult sea turtle of the Caretta caretta species, rehabilitated in Porto d’Abrigo and returned to the sea on the 20th of July 2022, has been monitored using satellite collected data.

She is now about 1925 kilometers (in a straight line) from where she was returned — and appears to be in excellent shape!

She currently is and has been since November 2022 in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italian coast), known to be one of the most important areas for loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean, as it provides important nesting and feeding areas with adequate trophic resources – and therefore the presence of this species is quite frequent.

It is also an area inhabitted by sea turtles of other species, such as leatherback turtles.

Her resilient nature, demonstrated during her time in the Porto d’Abrigo, is now put to the test on a daily basis, due to the strong fishing pressure and high maritime traffic representative of the area where she is located, which underlines the importance of constant monitorization.

Despite being done at a distance, this monitoring envokes a mixture of pride and anxiety, due to the respect and dedication employed throughout her entire rehabilitation process.

Go Salina!