By Firmain Eric Mbadinga
Turtles are among endangered creatures in the world. To save them and ensure their survival, these aquatic animals are monitored at a facility called First Aid Sea Turtle Centre in the Tunisian city of Sfax.
Among the turtles that have benefited from the centre's services is Rose - a turtle in her twenties.
Rose was caught in fishing nets before being taken to the centre. She has once again been able to return to the sea to begin a new chapter in her life in eastern Tunisia.
After undergoing a series of medical treatments, the turtles that are deemed fit to return to the sea are released with a satellite transmitter on their shell, enabling the centre to track them and protect them even from a distance.
The centre is run under Med Life Turtles project. Once released, the turtles still face the dangers of overfishing, pollution and climate change, officials of the centre said.
As well as caring for injured turtles, which, like Rose, can remain there for a month or more, the centre uses beacons to track their migratory movements.
It also strives to raise awareness among the local populations of the Gulf of Gabès on in eastern Tunisia. The communities there are largely dependent on fishing.
Hamadi Dahech, a 29-year-old fisherman rescued Rose in September 2023.
"Before, we were ignorant. People used to eat (the turtles), use them for witchcraft or as medicine. Today, thanks to awareness-raising among fishermen, the turtles have a better chance of surviving and protecting our ecosystem," Dahech said at the release of Rose back into the sea.
Turtles can grow to between 90 cm and 213 cm and weigh between 135 kg and 535 kg.
At least 10,000 carettas like Rose are caught each year by the nets of fishermen in the Gulf of Gabès.
This considerable number is seen as an indicator of the species' population in an area of intense industrial and chemical activity - despite their global endangered status.
Karlia Mpendaga from Congo, says loves turtle meat but recognises that the species must be conserved.
''Although I like the taste, I still think that this species should be eaten in such a way as to ensure its survival. I think the initiative to make it a protected species is a good one, because turtles lay eggs 2 or 3 times a year. One turtle lays less than 15 eggs,'' she tells TRT Afrika.
''So, if consumption is excessive, the species risks becoming extinct", she adds.
Since the Sfax centre was set up 2021, almost 80 turtles have been treated there and released back into the sea, Imed Jribi, head of the first aid centre, told journalists.
In addition to fishing and marine pollution, the other major threat to turtles is global warming, according to experts.
