The Albufera de Valencia will receive 300 tortoises from Menorca with the aim of reinforcing the repopulation of this (tortoise) species in danger of extinction in the next few days. Similar actions are carried out on the coast of Catalonia and the Valencian Community in order to ensure the future of the species. The environmentalist group Grup d Balear Ornithology (GOB) has been responsible for delivering the copies to the Conselleria de Medio Ambiente of the Balearic Government. It is important to note that many of these specimens are captured in Menorca by Islanders to be held subsequently in their gardens and orchards. That this environmental partnership aims to put an end for the good of the species and conduct against which already is is acting releasing the greater number of possible copies and returning them to their natural environment. The GOB group spokesmen have said that today the population of Menorca is vigorous enough to be able to target turtles in captivity to improve the global population of the species.
The turtle Mediterranean came to Menorca and Mallorca accidentally through war and ships goods that landed on the Islands due to their status as strategic point for the control of maritime flow for hundreds of years. It is believed that the first specimens can reach the Islands over 3000 years ago. A curiosity: one of the most famous tortoises is possibly the box turtle, of which there are several subspecies. These turtles can easily exceed 100 years of age. They also have the peculiar characteristic that can hide completely inside its shell, when other single species may do so in part.