Italy
participants
ESN Rimini decided to bring erasmus and international students to visit a local non-profit association which operates with sea-turtles in Riccione. Fondazione Cetacea it's an organization whose aim is to sensibilize and spread awareness about the world of cetacean, sea-turtles and land-turtles. They built a hospital near the beach in Riccione to hopitlize sea-turtles who happen to be found injured because of plastic pollution or fishing devices. A marine biologist explained very well how they are trying to protecting local sea nature and its wildlife also promoting new fishing devices which would not risk to wound turtles in the sea. ESN Rimini together with the association wanted to make international students aware of the consequences that plastic pollution can have on sea-turtles so that they could be more responsible.
The group of people accepted was not numerous because of the small spaces at the turtle hospital and around the association. So around 20 people among international students and esners gathered at the Rimini train station to get the bus and go to Riccione. Once we reached the destination we were welcomed by a marine biologist who gave us a very deep and interesting lesson about sea-turtle and their life in the Adriatic sea. She explained their attitude and the differences between species and age phases.
After some theory we entered the turtle hospital where around 20 sea-turtles were hospitalized in order to be healed and taken care of. they were different in seizes and ages. Then we moved outside to reach a small fenced aerea where land-turtles were kept.
The day finished after some shopping at their gadgets' shop and some voluntary donations to the association.
