23 turtle hatchlings lose way in Menorca

Twenty-three turtle hatchlings have emerged from a nest at Punta Prima beach in Sant Lluís, Menorca, but many crawled towards dunes instead of the sea. Artificial lights from the nearby development appear to have sent them the wrong way. On Friday, 18 September, a rescue and monitoring operation was launched after a caller alerted the 112 emergency line overnight.

Europa Press

Marine wildlife staff from the Balearic Wildlife Recovery Consortium, known as Cofib, went to the beach. They have counted 23 young turtles so far, although more may still be found.

The GOB environmental group said many hatchlings had moved towards an area of standing water as well as the dunes. Teams are watching the nest and nearby ground to find any others and stop them becoming lost, being run over or suffering other harm.

Specialists have also excavated the nest to check for hatchlings or eggs still under the sand. The work should give them a clearer picture of how successful the nesting was.

The nest is the first sea turtle nest confirmed in the Balearics this 2026 season. A female turtle was spotted on the same beach on 13 July, but her eggs could not then be located. The area was nevertheless protected as a precaution.

Hatchlings found alive will be taken to the Cabrera National Park Visitor Centre for health checks before joining the Balearic Islands' 2026-2027 head starting programme. Eggs that have not hatched will go to the Aula del Mar in Palma, Mallorca, for controlled incubation and monitoring.

23 turtle hatchlings head away from sea in Menorca