The Emerging Nesting of Sea Turtles in Catalonia: the Case of the Ebro Delta Natural Park

Dr. Elena Abella and Dr. Irene Álvarez de Quevedo are researchers at the Department of Applied Ecology and Global Change, at the BETA TECHNOLOGICAL CENTER (UVic-UCC).

From CT BETA, they work for the conservation of sea turtles and marine ecosystems, leading research projects at both national and European level, and have recently inaugurated a new headquarters in Alt Empordà, in Roses. In addition, their group serves as advisor to the Government of Catalonia for the management of sea turtle nesting along the entire Catalan coastline.

In recent years, sea turtle nesting has increased significantly in the Western Mediterranean due to rising temperatures, and it is expected to continue growing.

During their talk, they will discuss this phenomenon, which represents a challenge for coastal management, as it is necessary to reconcile human uses of beaches —mechanical cleaning, tourism and leisure activities— with the conservation of threatened species such as the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). In Catalonia, in 2023, 10 nests of this species were recorded, a historic record that has already been matched in 2025. The Ebro Delta Natural Park concentrates the highest number of nests on the Catalan coast, with up to 6 this season, consolidating itself as an area of high nesting density at both the Catalan and national scale. Its beaches, wide and quiet, with fine sand, high temperatures and no light pollution, have become a key site for the future of the species.