Turtle Island is a short documentary portraying the conservation efforts of Wildlife Sense in securing the future for sea turtles in the Mediterranean. The film covers the lifecycle of a turtle from nesting to hatching and details all of the challenges that these prehistoric reptiles now face. Shockingly, only 1 in 1,000 turtle hatchlings will reach adulthood. This ancient species is struggling to adapt to the artificial world around it. Yet thankfully, teams of inspiring volunteers and researchers in the field are helping to increase the odds and safeguard this incredible species from extinction.

The conditions were challenging to work in; with hot temperatures and sand posing a risk to our equipment. Thankfully, most of the action occurred either during the early morning or late evening, however occasionally we were called out during the day in response to nest emergencies or injured turtles.

I was surprised by how often we encountered turtles during my visit here. I witnessed everything from tiny turtles hatching to swimming with fully grown adults in the sea. However, one of the most memorable experiences occurred during the night. We spent most nights sleeping out on the beaches, waiting for hatchlings to emerge. At around 2am, I was woken up by a volunteer who had heard sounds on the beach. The only light available was that given off by the moon. We quickly realised that we had been joined by a fully-grown nesting turtle on the beach.

I watched her dark silhouette in amazement, listening to her breathing and careful movements across the sand. This extraordinary moment was backdropped by a sky full of stars. Although this female didn’t nest, a few nights before we had the privilege of witnessing a female actually laying her eggs in the sand! During this extraordinary event, she enters a trance, which allowed us to get right up alongside her.

It was an absolutely incredible experience, full of adventure and surprises. I would recommend volunteering for this wonderful organisation to anyone with an interest in the natural world. You can do so by searching ‘Wildlife Sense’.

Turtle Island is available to watch here.