ISPRA beach sampling campaigns just ended and first Caretta Caretta nests have already appeared

A few days after the end of ISPRA sampling campaigns of beach sediments on some nesting sites of the past seasons, as part of the LIFE Turtlenest project, the first Caretta Caretta nests have been identified in Ascea (Campania), officially giving the go-ahead to the start of the 2025 season.

Since the beginning of 2025, ISPRA has carried out three monthly sampling campaigns, respectively in the Regions of Campania, Calabria, Basilicata and Sicily. A total of 37 sites were sampled. The samplings were conducted in January (Campania), February (Calabria and Basilicata) and March (Sicily).

The beach sediment sampling operations consisted of two phases: the identification of the coordinates of the nesting site and the collection of sand and sampling up to a depth of about 90 cm with specific equipment. The sand cores collected were deposited in the laboratories for granulometric and chemical-physical characterization.

Chemical, sedimentological and mineralogical analyses on samples from the sites sampled in 2024 have all been completed.

To date from the campaigns conducted and the results obtained, it is evident that the sampling technique is rapid and effective, especially for sandy sediments, less for gravelly ones. Most of the samples have a medium-fine grain size and the mineralogical content influences the concentration of metals recorded by chemical analyses.

For the conservation and the protection of species, to date there is still not enough data to establish whether the chemical and sedimentological composition can influence the choice of the nesting site. Nevertheless, the analyses and elaborations in progress could hopefully be able to better investigate these aspects.

With this first nest recorded in Campania, a new nesting season for the Caretta caretta sea turtle has opened, increasingly present along our coast and never so early compared to previous years. The laying of eggs on these beaches represents an indicator of environmental well-being and confirms the quality of the coastal ecosystems of our territory.

To Know more on the project

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