Can Pere Antoni: 34 hatchlings head to the sea — an evening that sows hope

An evening that lingers long in Palma's harbor air

As the sun sank yesterday behind the buildings of the Paseo Marítimo and a cool breeze blew in from the sea, something both small and big unfolded on Palma's city beach: 34 young sea turtles were released into the open water. Passersby paused — joggers with headphones, an elderly man with a folded newspaper, children with still-wet sand on their knees. You could hear the rustle of the promenade palms, the distant clatter of a beach bar and the shrill laughter of the seagulls. Occasionally someone uttered a soft “Oh!” when a tiny shell reached the first wave.

Small animals, long journey

The 34 hatchlings come from the nest discovered this summer on the beach of Can Pere Antoni. In total there were 73 young turtles taken to a rearing facility; 34 were allowed to return to the sea last night, while the remaining 39 remain for observation and care. Here the important things are not speed but weight gain, swimming strength and overall condition — only when the caretakers are convinced will the next step follow, probably in about ten to twelve months.

“We want to give them the best possible start,” said Anna Torres, Director General for the Environment, explaining how controlled rearing can reduce risks like overheated sand nests, predators or light pollution. It's not a magic trick but simple, persistent work — a mix of measurements, feeding and a lot of patience.

Community on the beach

What impressed was less the staging than the quiet cooperation: city administration, biologists, animal carers and volunteers — all working hand in hand. Simple tools helped: gloves, plastic trays, notes on scraps of paper. On the promenade two students discussed nights without beach lighting with passion; a grandfather showed his grandson photos and said quietly, “These are ours, not from the zoo.” The scene felt familiar, almost like family.

Many onlookers took photos, some even pointed their phone flashlights out of curiosity. A determined helper kindly asked people to switch off their lights — small gestures, big difference: turtles orient themselves by natural horizon light, and artificial light confuses them on their way to the sea.

Why this matters for Mallorca

Such releases are not just pretty images for vacation albums. They are a measure of whether conservation measures are working and whether people on the island take responsibility. Sea turtles need quiet, dark beaches for hatching and clean seas to survive. Light pollution, plastic waste and crowded beaches are real dangers — and this is where collective effort comes in.

In practical terms this means: dim the lights, don't leave trash behind, keep dogs on a leash, put up information signs at beach entrances and talk to lifeguards — these actions make a difference. Each of these small measures increases the chance that more hatchlings will reach the sea successfully and perhaps return one day to lay nests themselves.

What matters now

The work does not end with the last flutter of a plastic tray in the sand. The remaining 39 juveniles will continue to be cared for, monitored and later, after good growth, also released. The city is also considering measures against light pollution at particularly sensitive beaches and plans to step up awareness efforts — for example with information signs, short briefings for lifeguards and information evenings for residents.

Visitors can help too: those on the beach in the evening can switch off their phone lights, take their rubbish with them and keep dogs on a leash. Such gestures need no authority, only goodwill and a brief moment of consideration.

A hopeful look ahead

The 34 small shells are now drifting toward the open sea. Whether they will return to this coast in a few years remains uncertain — nature writes its own stories. But the evening at Can Pere Antoni was concrete proof: when people come together, even small lives can get a chance. On the Paseo there are traces left behind: crumpled gloves, an empty tray, footprints in the wet sand — quiet witnesses to a night that gives courage.

For Mallorca this is more than a nice photo for the family album. It's a piece of lived responsibility and a practical building block for a more sustainable coast. If you walk along Can Pere Antoni now, you might again hear the seagulls, feel the breeze — and carry a quiet hope that this island will have room for such moments for a long time to come.