Sea Turtle Recovery Centre

The Costa degli Aranci, a splendid stretch of the Calabrian Ionian coastline, with its crystal-clear waters and rich seabed is the ideal habitat for turtles of the Caretta Caretta species, mascots of the Mediterranean fauna, whose presence reassures the health of the sea.

It is not uncommon in Calabria to spot specimens of this species swimming peacefully and - if you are particularly lucky - you can witness the hatching of eggs on the beach and the newborn turtles racing towards the water. It often happens in Brancaleone, in the province of Reggio Calabria, rightly dubbed ‘’the town of turtles‘’. And also here, in this beautiful seaside village overlooking the Ionian Sea, there is a place where injured specimens are cared for and then released back into the wild. It is the Sea Turtle Recovery Centre run by the Blue Conservancy Onlus association, practically a turtle hospital, with its quarantine and rehabilitation tanks, X-ray room, veterinary surgery and surgical room.

The team of volunteers collects reports of sightings in the water and immediately sets out to rescue injured or dying animals, almost always caused by pollution, boat traffic and wild fishing. The centre, which also works to raise awareness and disseminate information on the protection of marine ecosystems, reopens its doors to visitors from April. It will be possible to observe the work of the volunteers and the wonderful world of the Caretta Caretta up close.  During their stay, the turtles are immersed in large tanks, resurface to feed and are given medication by veterinarians, but it is necessary to approach them with great delicacy and respect, to speak softly and avoid getting too close. It is forbidden to touch them so as not to get them too used to humans: soon, at the earliest, they will have to return to swimming freely in their own sea.

The visit to the centre is preceded by a short presentation of the sea turtle protection and conservation project and continues in the tank room. Volunteers explain what happened to each of the specimens and how the turtles are cared for after they are rescued from the sea. In the solidarity shop and information corner, visitors of all ages can satisfy their curiosity about the underwater world.

At the Brancaleone Sea Turtle Rescue Centre, where no less than 500 specimens have been cared for and released back into the wild since 2006, courses are organised to train new volunteers and the ‘’Sea Turtles Experience‘’, an extraordinary eco-tourism experience to save sea turtles and learn more about their world and the factors that threaten their wellbeing.