Training for the region’s veterinarians in primary care, rehabilitation and necropsies of sea turtles, as part of the Azores Cetacean Stranding Network (RACA) and the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change.

The Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies (DRPM), the entity responsible for the Azores Cetacean Stranding Network, organised a training course on the primary care, rehabilitation and necropsy of sea turtles, with theoretical and practical components, aimed at veterinarians from the Autonomous Region of the Azores, on three islands of the archipelago, namely Faial, São Miguel and Terceira.

The training was given by Dr Carolina Fernández-Maldonado (veterinary doctor), a specialist in sea turtles, founder and project director at Seashore Environment and Fauna, Cadiz, Spain.

The training consisted of two parts: a theoretical component given on the island of Faial with online transmission to all the Azorean islands; and a practical component, in person. The practical sessions took place on 18 (Faial), 19 (São Miguel) and 20 October (Terceira).

In the Azores, this initiative was organised in collaboration with Flying Sharks, the University of the Azores, the Regional Directorate for Fisheries, the Regional Veterinary Laboratory and the Agrarian Development Services of the various islands.

This training is part of the objectives of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, which aims to restructure and build the capacity of RACA.

By training veterinarians, the aim is to increase the effectiveness of the response to strandings that occur in the Region, particularly in the rehabilitation of live individuals and in assessing the causes of turtle deaths.

The DRPM would like to thank the various organisations for their interest and all the collaboration and support that made this event possible.

Find out more about this project at www.lifeazoresnatura.eu/en/