Saving Turtles Around Lanzarote
Lanzarote has some fantastic marine life scattered around the island however, more often we are seeing different species getting tangled with human waste. Within the last month alone, we have freed multiple sea turtles, certainly saving their lives.
The most commonly encountered sea turtle species in this region are the loggerhead turtle and the green sea turtle.
Loggerhead Turtle : Loggerhead turtles are known for their relatively large heads and powerful jaws, which are adapted for crushing and eating hard-shelled prey such as crustaceans and mollusks. These turtles are found in various oceans and are known to frequent warm temperate and tropical waters, including around Lanzarote. Loggerhead turtles are considered vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, primarily due to threats like accidental capture in fishing gear (bycatch), habitat degradation, and pollution.
Green Sea Turtle: Green sea turtles are named for the green color of their fat, which comes from their herbivorous diet of seagrasses and algae. They are easily recognizable by their heart-shaped shells and are found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. The Canary Islands, including Lanzarote, are within their distribution range. Green sea turtles are also listed as endangered by the IUCN due to various threats, including habitat loss, entanglement in fishing gear, and poaching.
Various organizations and initiatives in the Canary Islands are dedicated to studying and protecting sea turtles and their habitats. These efforts include nesting beach monitoring, rehabilitation of injured turtles, and public education about the importance of sea turtle conservation.
If you plan to visit Lanzarote and hope to see sea turtles, consider joining us onboard one of our boat trips or participating in responsible wildlife tourism activities that prioritise the protection of these endangered creatures and their habitats. Remember to follow guidelines such as maintaining a respectful distance from the turtles and their nesting sites and avoiding any behaviour that could disturb or harm them. Of course, if you see a turtle in distress then please do help it. Turtles are totally harmless and docile, both of the turtles above were released without any problems.