Earlier today, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) in collaboration with Nature Trust (Malta) and the Security Section of the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs (MRRA), excavated the nest located in Gnejna Bay.

From initial investigations, it results that the embryos died at a late stage of development, probably because of limited intake of air resulting from a number of natural factors.

The investigation carried out, indicated that the layer of water-retaining blue clay underneath the sand became water-logged as a result of water from underneath the nest. The eggs in the bottom layer imbibed water resulting in the asphyxiation of the embryos developing inside it. Moreover, the nesting chamber was deprived of air as a consequence of this accumulated high humidity and related water saturation.

The Authority uncovered the sand and excavated the nest of eggs today, as it was the 79th day from when the turtle came up into Gnejna bay to nest. Normally, a marine turtle’s nest takes some 50-68 days to hatch, although later hatching dates have also been reported in rarer cases (depending on sand temperature).

Officials on site also checked other sand areas in the bay, confirming that the blue clay was also water-logged in such areas.

In the coming days, the Authority will be sending a sample of the recovered embryos to an international laboratory for DNA testing.

The Authority would like to thank all the stakeholders who positively contributed and ensured that the maximum level of protection and co-operation was maintained during the hatching period, including the sponsorship it received from Go plc and Cursor Ltd in providing the online web cam. MEPA would especially wish to thank the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs, Ministry for Tourism, Culture and the Environment, Nature Trust (Malta), the Mgarr Local Council, Transport Malta and the commercial operators at Gnejna for their constant support and assistance.

Relocating the nest from its original position where the turtle laid its eggs was necessary since such original area was in the lowest part of the beach (and was completely submerged by water two days after nesting). Moreover, such relocation episodes are quite a common and normal practice in other parts of the world; for instance, in the nearby Island of Lampedusa (Pelagian Islands, Italy), about 50 % of the nests are relocated.

Relocation was done by three different recognised experts in the first 12 hours window period, when it is safe to carry out such operation, MEPA said.

The nest was supervised around the clock for the past 79 days by MEPA, MRRA and Nature Trust (Malta) volunteers.

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