DOZENS of loggerhead turtles hatched on Thursday just after midnight on Benidorm’s Levante beach.
Several passers-by on Avenida de Madrid contacted emergency services and the Policia Local to report sightings of baby turtles walking in the sand.
Police officers cordoned off the area and waited for experts from Oceanografic Valencia to arrive.
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Teams at Levante beach tried unsuccessfully overnight to find the turtle’s nest by following various tracks in the sand.
39 turtles were found, though sadly two had died.
Specialists examined the babies to make sure they were healthy and 30 were released in Cala del Tio Ximo shortly before dawn.
The remaining seven were taken to Valencia where they will spend a year in the Ocenografic’s ‘head-start’ initiative.
This allows the loggerheads to develop in a safe environment for a year before being released to the sea- thus giving them a better chance of surviving.
Authorities did not rule out sighting more newborns during the day as some of the eggs would hatch at a later time.
Beach goers have been asked not to touch any turtle unless to stop it going into the water, and to call the 112 emergency number.
Benidorm mayor, Toni Perez, said: “Nature has surprised us again today in the heart of the city, with the birth of these turtles”.
“It is not, fortunately, the first time that we have seen how loggerheads choose our beaches as a safe space to lay their eggs which highlights the healthy nature of our coastline,“ he added.
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