The news that a loggerhead turtle laid eggs in Ġnejna on Wednesday night generated a great deal of excitement and raised some hope over the survival of these amazing creatures, which started swimming about 164 million years ago, during the time of the dinosaurs.

No other turtle nesting was recorded in the Maltese Islands over the last 51 years, so it is no surprise that this rare event was the talk of the town yesterday, with many hoping that the nest will receive as little human disturbance as possible.

Like the other turtle species, loggerhead turtles, which are the most commonly sighted turtles around the Maltese Islands, fulfil important roles in marine ecosystems. According to the World Wildlife Fund, they feed on many invertebrates and can change the seabed by ‘mining’ the sediments for their favourite prey. Moreover, as many as 100 species of animals and plants have been recorded living on one single loggerhead turtle.

Six of the seven species of sea turtles are endangered; despite being great travellers, they are threatened by fishing fleets and waste, among other things. But they are also quite particular in that they take up to 35 years to reach sexual maturity and the nesting and hatching processes are extremely delicate.

In this particular case, Mepa decided to relocate the nest, and their decision was based on two factors – the proximity to the sea and the depth in which the eggs lay. This raises questions over the behaviour of the mother, especially considering that turtles usually lay their eggs in quiet, secluded areas.

Now Ġnejna beach presented far from an ideal environment for a turtle nesting, especially considering that the beach was floodlit and that some people were barbecuing. The probability is that the turtle laid the eggs so close to the shoreline (about two metres away) because it was such a crowded, noisy and well-lit area.

And relocating the nest can be quite tricky, seeing that the eggs have to be left in the exact same position. It is yet to be seen whether the eggs will hatch, but one thing is certain, as the Light Pollution Awareness Group said yesterday – that light pollution poses a threat to turtles and indeed to other wildlife.

But that is not all. Wildlife species such as turtles, seabirds and sharks are also threatened by waste that isn’t disposed of properly. Sea turtles in particular mistake plastic bags and other waste for jellyfish; the ingested plastic causes blockages within their digestive system and eventual death.

Sea turtles also regularly get entangled in fishing lines or get caught on hooks, and unless they are rescued by fishermen, boat owners or divers, they cannot possibly survive.

When they are rescued, they are often seen to by rescue volunteers forming part of environment NGO Nature Trust (Malta)’s Wildlife Rescue Team before being taken to the aquaculture centre at Fort San Luċjan in Marsaxlokk for rehabilitation. They often spend months at the centre before they are released back to their natural homes.

This work – together with the support offered by companies such as Air Malta, which has been sponsoring the ‘Adopt a Turtle’ campaign in aid of Nature Trust’s turtle rehabilitation centre project – is highly commendable, but a bigger effort is undoubtedly required from civil society at large, particularly when it comes to light pollution and coastal development, if we are to safeguard our ecosystems for future generations.