As many as 61 rare
loggerhead sea turtles hatched on the Calabrian coast over the
past three days and swam out to sea, the World Wildlife Fund
said Thursday.
The eggs of the loggerheads, known as Caretta-caretta
turtles in Italy and considered at risk of extinction, were laid
on the shores of the resort of Cassano allo Jonio at the end of
June.
The hatching process began on Monday and is expected to
conclude in coming days, WWF volunteers said.
The loggerhead is the world's second-largest hard-shelled
turtle. Adults have an average weight range of 80 to 200 kilos
and range in length from 70 to 95 centimeters.
The loggerhead sea turtle has a low birth rate, with the
females laying an average of four egg clutches every two to
three years.
Volunteers from the WWF and Tartacare NGO are guarding the
eggs and the infant turtles before they swim away into the
Ionian Sea.
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