During the monitoring of fish fauna in constructed wetlands we are given the opportunity to collaborate in the monitoring of projects to reintroduce two species of turtles in the Tancat de la Pipa and Tancat de Milia. Both projects are born out of the need to conserve our stocks of European territory turtle (Emys orbicularis) and terrapin (Mauremys), who live in coastal marshes and rivers of our region, respectively.
In the case of the European pond turtle, it is one of the most endangered aquatic reptiles not only regionally, but throughout Europe. This is why the European pond turtle is included in both the Habitats Directive, the Bern Convention of the European Union and in the Valencian Catalogue of Threatened Animals, under the category “vulnerable”. 50 years ago, in the Natural Park of the Albufera wild and stable populations of this species existed, however, the degradation of their habitat caused by urbanization and loss of water quality as well as uncontrolled harvesting led to their extinction.
Since 2010, the Tancat de la Pipa managed to reintroduce European turtles successfully in the framework of the Project Emys developed by Acció Ecologist-Agro. This was done together with the introduction of a terrapin population, which for now are free of competition with the Florida turtle (Trachemys scripta), a highly invasive and exotic species.
So far, we have recovered two European pond turtles in the Tancat de la Pipa and two in the Tancat de Milia as well as 2 terrapins in Tancat de la Pipa. These are the records:
- On 4 April 2014 and 20 August 2014 one terrapin was captured in the Tancat de la Pipa, a male named Leonidas found in Catarroja and released in the reserve on 5 October 2011. The interesting thing is that the first capture took place in the inlet channel of the constructed wetland, and the second one in the lagoon.
- A month later, on 16 May 2014 in traps placed in a plot with more depth of the Tancat de Milia appeared a female European pond turtle released in the reserve in 2012. After spending a “medical examination” in the Wildlife Recovery Centre, it was stated that the turtle was in very good physical condition.
- On 29 May 2014 two European turtules were captured in the Tancat de la Pipa, one released on 3 June 2011, and Fabiola, released on 7 August 2011 in the reserve (both three years before!) and he was captured when he was about to perform oviposition, since the presence of eggs was found inside.
- Finally, a male European pond turtle released on 16 June 2013 in the Tancat de Milia was captured on 17 July 2014, in the same plot where the other turtle was captured on 16 May 2014.
- These catches under the LIFE Albufera project make it possible to obtain information of great interest for the conservation of turtles at the local level, since they allow us to know their movements within the reserves and the dates on which they move as well as the physical state of the individual animal.