According to Nature Trust Malta, volunteers who have been monitoring a number of beaches across the islands over the last few months have sadly found “no traces” of turtle nests this summer.

This is in stark contrast to last summer’s record-breaking turtle nest findings, which saw an impressive 320 loggerhead turtle hatchings within beaches in Malta and Gozo.  

And as the warm days of summer begin to near their end, it would seem that environmentalists have all but given up on finding a nest on Malta’s beaches.

The reasons, according to Nature Trust Malta’s head, Vince Attard, are various, with the main one being climate change, and the hotter temperatures recorded on the islands this year.

With the sea proving warmer than usual, the expert explained in comments to Times of Malta, both fish and turtles are likely to seek cooler waters further north. “For instance, Sicily and Italy witnessed an increase in turtle nests this year,” he said.

Along with other countries in the southern Mediterranean, Malta has experienced record-breaking high temperatures this season, with several heatwaves hitting the island in recent months.  

Apart from the heat, another reason for the lack of nests, Nature Trust Malta said, is the “Incessant noise and bright lights” on Malta’s beaches, which may have come as a direct result to closures and restrictions related to COVID-19. 

“This year, beaches were more crowded than usual and were full of noise and light pollution. The fact that bars were closed because of COVID-19 meant more people sought out the beaches to enjoy their time,” Mr Attard told The Times.