Sea turtle rescue centres provide much needed care to injured sea turtles which may have otherwise perished. Furthermore, the project provides the first up-to-date visual tool that can be used to identify gaps in the number and location of sea turtle facilities in the Mediterranean, which as a key issue in marine turtle conservation. At the same time, it increases public awareness about the existence of this network of facilities. The “Sea Turtle Rescue Map” is a unique, efficient and simple information tool that provides the public with open access to accurate and current information on all facilities that rescue and care for sea turtles in the Mediterranean. By clicking on each facility one can view the location, contact details (address, email, contact persons, telephone numbers), whether it accepts volunteers, and the number of turtles cared for to date. Facilities are classified into three types according to their rescue and care capacities: Sea Turtle Rescue Centres (STRCs), First Aid Stations (FASTs) and Informal Rescue Facilities (IRFs). Users can find information about the rescue facilities that exist around the Mediterranean and can easily locate the nearest centre in case of emergency. The database and maps will be periodically updated, maintained and improved after the launch. With up-to-date information provided by each facility it is an extremely reliable source. To multiply the initiative’s aims and impact, relevant organisations can freely use this new tool by embedding the Google Map on their websites.

The database is presented to the public as an online Google Map that is managed by MEDASSET. The project stemmed from a paper by Ullmann & Stachowitsch (2015) which calls for platforms that provide ‘better information on the number and types of rescue facilities on a Mediterranean scale’. It is the first tool to provide open access to information about all known rescue facilities in the Mediterranean to the public and professionals alike. The “Database & Online Map of Sea Turtle Rescue & First Aid Centres in the Mediterranean” (Sea Turtle Rescue Map) is a project by MEDASSET, aiming to bridge information, communication, and collaboration gaps in sea turtle conservation.

Seaturtle rescue