A vigilant British tourist had no sooner settled down to his afternoon cup of tea, in a small café, than he saw someone carrying a live sea turtle. To his horror, he saw the turtle taken into the local fishing cooperative’s cold-storage facility, the place where the local fishermen store their catches before they are sold!

Realizing that this turtle’s only hope of leaving the facility alive would be dependant on quick action, he lost no time in finding a telephone and notifying at the International Animal Rescue in Malta.

Max Farrugia was immediate in his response: the administrative law enforcement Police were contacted and within 10 minutes, police officers were at the cold storage facility and the wheels of the turtle’s rescue mission were set in motion.

They discovered the sea turtle, a majestic loggerhead, was being stored alive and, as luck would have it, unharmed.

Next on the scene were inspectors from the Environmental Directorate, who had been called in by the Police Inspector Alex Miruzzi. The Caretta Caretta was confiscated and immediately transported to an aquaculture center where she underwent a series of medical test and was miraculously found to be healthy and physically unharmed by her ordeal. Lady Luck had smiled upon her.

Less than 48 hours after the tourist’s first sighting, the turtle was released into the warm summer waters of the Mediterranean, her natural habitat – destiny freedom and not the dinner table!

Clearly without the British holidaymaker’s observation and compassion, we would have no tale to tell. It would have been a sad story without the conviction of Max Farrugia, the Maltese Police Force and the Environmental Inspectorate in Malta. Their joint action and collaboration was vital and decisive. It is a fine example of how the general public, NGOs, governmental and intergovernmental organizations can work together towards the conservation of sea turtles.

The case is under investigation by the Police and it is expected that those responsible will be taken to Court.