LES TORTUES MARINES ONT ELLES UNE BOUSSOLE ?

Article extrait du magazine Ushuaïa (N°6).

Comment s'orientent les tortues? Résultat des observations :

DANGERS EN MEDITERRANEE

L'Homme, par son activité, cause de graves dégâts sur l'environnement des tortues marines. Rappelons que toutes les tortues marines sont en danger d'extinction.

~ Les aménagements côtiers et la présence accrue des touristes, empêchent les tortues de venir pondre sur les plages de sable. Notons que les tortues marines vont pondre à l'endroit où elles sont elles-mêmes nées, après une maturation sexuelle qui prend environ 10ans pour les tortues Caouanne.

~ Les hélices des bateaux causent de graves dégâts (section des membres antérieurs ou postérieurs, voir de la carapace). Ces bateaux sont de plus en plus nombreux.

~ La capture accidentelle dans les filets de pêche, les blessures d'hameçons.

~ La pollution omniprésente : les tortues ingèrent de nombreux déchets leur causant des occlusions, par exemple les sacs plastiques que les tortues marines prennent pour des méduses.

Lorsque des tortues marines sont trouvées blessées, les centres de secours font leur possible pour les soigner et les relâcher après avoir donnés les soins adaptés et vérifiés leur capacité à réintégrer leur milieu naturel.

L'étude des migrations et des habitudes des tortues marines pourrait permettre de définir des zones de protection (c'est déjà le cas aujourd'hui, mais qui ne sont pas respectées).

Le centre de secours de Naples (Turtle point) a cette démarche de protection et d'étude, qui inscrit ainsi son action sur le long terme.

 

 

TURTLE POINT (texte en anglais)

Turtle Point: The First Marine Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Italy.

 

Flegra Bentivegna

Turtle Point and Rescue Center Coordinator, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dorhn,

Villa Comunale, Napoli 80021

(E-Mail: [e-mail])

 

 

 

Located in the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, a public research institution, The Rescue Center has been working, since 1983, to cure injured animals such as Caretta caretta, the most common marine turtle species, found in Italian waters. The Rescue Center's principal objective is to greatly contribute to the conservation of marine turtles in the Mediterranean by releasing healthy animals back into the wild after their full recovery (Jacobson, 1999). To facilitate this goal, not only are the animals treated by veterinarians, there are many rigorous maintenance and husbandry protocols followed in respect to their biology and physiology. Particular attention is given to the phases of their rehabilitation, during which the animals are held under constant observation to confirm their ability to swim, to handle bouts of apnea and to maintain buoyancy. Also, the turtles' blood values and weight are monitored. As recommended by IUCN (1988), some of the cured animals are tracked by satellite transmitters, after their release, in order to insure their successful reintroduction and to verify their survival in the wild (Bentivegna, 2001).

 

Turtles recovered by the SZN have either incurred wounds, sometimes very serious, mainly due to major impacts from fishing gear or boats, or are extremely debilitated and undernourished because of unfavorable environmental conditions. (Bentivegna ET al. 1993; 1997; 2002). It is often common that the animals requiring much care and rehabilitation must stay at the Rescue Center for extended periods of time. In the past few years, the number of rescued and healed animals, at the Station's laboratory, has been increasing exponentially and available tank space is limited. Therefore, it was essential to establish another turtle rehabilitation center, that had plenty of ample space, in a location that was not too far from the Stazione Zoologica. It was proposed that at this new turtle center, the animals would be rehabilitated and then thoroughly examined to insure that were in good health prior to their release.

 

Thanks to the continued support, of turtle research and rehabilitation work, from national and local politicians as well as from Bagnolifutura, the Neapolitan society of city transformation, an area of approximately 600 m2, in  Bagnoli, Naples, was designated as the location for the new "Turtle Point" facility. This site was formerly used, until 1992, as one of the most important iron works industries in the Country.

 

The "Turtle Point", which opened on September 13^th, houses marine turtles that were cured at the Rescue Center at the Stazione Zoologica  and then transferred to the "Turtle Point", where they stay, for a suitable convalescence period, before their release.

 

Inside the "Turtle Point" facility, there are presently 23 rectangular rehabilitation tanks (2 x 2 x 60) and 2 circular rehabilitation tanks (3m in diameter), a laboratory equipped to observe the animals, a kitchen for food preparation, an office for organising and archiving data and a conference room that is approximately 60 m2 . The conference room is used to hold meetings, workshops, seminars, and lessons for students. These lectures teach participants about the main causes of the rarefaction of turtles and other marine fauna. The center also has cleaning services, one dressing and shower room for the staff, and a warehouse for equipment and supplies.

 

Outside the building, sterilization and filtration systems have been installed. There is also a reinforced concrete seawater storage basin (60 m3 in capacity) which is equipped with 27 protein skimmers and air filters which process 110 m3 of air per hour.

 

The rehabilitation tanks are supplied with seawater and are in a closed circuit system. The water, taken from the Gulf of Naples and transported by truck to the storage tanks, is purified by the filters and the UV system and its temperature is regulated by a thermal exchanger (18 - 24°C). Twice an hour, the water in every tank is changed.

 

The water filtration and circulation system, was designed by the CHF (Compagnie de l’Hydraulique et Filtration – Saint Georges De Mons Francia), a company that specializes in large water filtration and purification systems. The system was assembled by the Stazione Zoologica's Technical Staff.

 

Many thanks to Bagnolifutura, the EUAC (European Union Aquarium Curators) and Carpisa Kuvera S.r.l., for their immense and generous contributions that helped towards the realization of this plan and to Giovanni De Martino, for his devotion and hard work in executing this project.

 

 

Bibliography

Bentivegna, F., P. Breber, S. Hochscheid. 2002. Cold stunned loggerhead turtles in the South Adriatic Sea. Marine Turtle Newsletter 97:1-3.

Bentivegna, F. 2001. Possibilities of Reintegrating Sea Turtles Kept in Captivity to the Wild. Bulletin de l’Institut Oceanographique Monaco n° special 20, fascicule 1.

Bentivegna, F., A. Paglialonga. 1997. Impact of anthropic activity on sea turtles of the Gulf of Naples. E.U.C.C. Proceedings Coastlines, 97

Bentivegna, F., P. Cirino, A. Toscano. 1993. Care and treatment of loggerhead sea turtles from the Gulf of Naples, Italy. Marine Turtle Newsletter 61:6-7.

IUCN. 1988. Guidelines for Re-introduction IUCN/SSC Re-Introduction Specialist Group Publication. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge.10 pp.

Jacobson, ER. 1999. Health Assessment of Chelonians and Release into the Wild. In: Fowler, Miller. W.B. (eds) Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine: Current Therapy 4. Sauders Company, Philadelphia 30: 232-242.