Walkers along Carchuna beach discovered the body of a tortuga boba (loggerhead sea turtle) on Wednesday the 13th, which is an endangered species.
Now, these oceanic turtles, which are found all over the world, on average measure around 90cm in carapace length when fully grown.
The adult loggerhead turtle weighs approximately 135kg with the largest specimens weighing in at more than 450 kg, so we’re talking about a something that weighs the same as a 6-month-old calf (cow).
The loggerhead reaches sexual maturity within 17–33 years and has a lifespan of 47–67 years. They are omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Its large and powerful jaws serve as an effective tool for dismantling its prey. Yikes!
However, in this case the carapace or shell was a metre long with a weight of around 60 kilos. It did not have any apparent injuries.
It was found, to be more specific, in front of the Don Cactus camping facilities. One of the people that came across it phoned 112 around 19.20h and the call centre alerted the Protección Civil and the Policía Local, so that its carcass could be removed from the beach.
(News/Noticias: Carchuna, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)