SEA CREATURES ALIVE

It can happen – as it has with the seal in Estepona – that you are on the beach and you come across a dolphin or, in this case, a live seal which is unable to get back into the water.

Here are simple guidelines, which should be strictly adhered to:

• Under no circumstances should the animal be touched. It must not be moved or returned to the sea (either dead or alive). It would be helpful to know enough about marine animals to be able to identify the animal and/or its possible injuries. The animal should only be handled when you have the approved equipment and gloves, which beach goers do not normally have.

Very important:

• Keep all observers silent;
• Give the animal space – keep everyone at least 5 mt (20 ft.) from the animal so as not to overwhelm it;
• Keep pets on a leash so they don’t bark or worry at it;
• Call the Emergency 112 Andalucía This is a public service that is on permanently stand by for any emergency situation, rescue etc. This service is free and multilingual;
• Have the precise data on the place and location where the animal in distress is;
• Have the name of the beach and of the municipality to hand;
• Be prepared to tell the emergency services the name of the nearest hotel, apartment complex or chiringuito in the vicinity.

Emergency 112 will contact the official Service – in this case it is the Junta de Andalucía and/or the Guardia Civil > Seprona.

However, if the person who finds the animal needs emotional support or has language difficulties, they can contact ProDunas Marbella or the Aula del Mar Málaga and we will gladly try to help them let the emergency services know what is going on.

Members of the public MUST follow these simple guidelines. Remember, these are wild animals and therefore it is the professionals who must attend to any strandings on our beaches.

You can, of course, take photos or videos from a safe distance and send them to us – all documentation is important and of great interest to the environmental services.

Thank you for your help and understanding.

Ahh – the good news is that “our seal” – after a long break – has gone back to the sea.

Thanks to the good relationship with the Andalusian Government (Junta de Andalucía) and the CEGMA in Algeciras we can take part virtually in the fantastic development of the 49 little turtles – it’s clear that they love their aquatic world.

It is a pleasure to be able to watch them playing, how they want to snatch the food from their baby brother’s mouth, how they paddle with those little legs and see how fast they can move!

It is a real joy to observe all this. We are envious – in a nice way! – of the two members of the volunteer team who looked after the nest in Cabopino. They are helping these little guys get bigger every day so that we will be able to see them head out to sea in September 2021, if everything goes according to plan.

HAPPY END! THE SEA TURTLE “ADELFA” HAS BEEN FREED

36º38.3702’N – 004º23.9557’W

We would like to thank the veterinaries team for the painstaking intensive care extended to “our” Adelfa, which, thanks to the care received during these long 4 years, has grown new plastron.
With a lovely weight of 76kg (4 years ago she was barely 32kg), she has found again the way to her natural habitat – the sea.

This important event, the leading of “Adelfa” and other 4 sea turtles to their freedom, has been attended both by the Minister of the Environment of the Andalusian Government, Mr. José Juan Díaz Trillo and the directors and veterinarians of the Aula del Mar, as also members of our Association Pro Dunas.
TV cameras and the press have been attending this event at sea.

RESCUE OF A YOUNG DOLPHIN

El varamiento del jóven Delphin vivo de la familia Listado (Stenella coeruleoalba) en la playa de Calahonda (Mijas) nos llevó al lugar

The stranding of a young, live dolphin of the Listado family (Stenella coeruleoalba) on the beach in Calahonda (Mijas).

Volunteers from our Association, together with veterinarians and biologists from CREMA and an EGMASA technician turned up at the site of the beaching. The dolphin displayed good vital signs so a comprehensive examination was carried out with the following results: it was 120 cm long, presumably male, with some fungal infection on the tail, and on the dorsal and pectoral fins and possibly a fractured upper jaw. The dolphin was taken to the CREMA Recovery Centre so the developments could be monitored closely.

A LIVE SEA TURTLE WAS FOUND

A live,  5 to 8 years old  “boba” turtle was recovered from Puerto Banús. It was taken to the Aula del Mar-CREMA facilities for a check-up and after its has recovered  it is expected to be returned to the sea.

“MIGUELITO”, THE DOLPHIN ADOPTED BY PRO DUNAS

The dolphin “Miguelito” (Delphinus Delphi) has a very definite character and a strong willed personality. By means of trial and error we learned that “Miguelito” prefers to take his food from a man’s hand and be stroked by that of a woman! “Miguelito” is a very beautiful young male.

“Miguelito’s” recovery is so favourable that after 3 months in the Aula del Mar, Malaga (CREMA), the plan is to return him to the sea, hoping that he will be received into a pod of the dolphins established here on this coast.

“PEDRITO”, A SEAL ADOPTED BY PRO DUNAS

Three hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) have been taken to the Aula del Mar in Malaga – (CREMA).

Should they survive, releasing them back into the sea where they were found is being studied or if it is considered more appropriate, they could be reintroduce into the South/North Atlantic, because these seals usually live in colder waters.