Italy opens Sea Turtle Clinic in Bari and launches exclusive turtle feeding at Livorno Aquarium

The University of Bari inaugurated a new Sea Turtle Clinic in Valenzano, funded by the Puglia region and equipped with modern tanks and water‑circulation systems for the care, rehabilitation and research of marine turtles. Two rescued Caretta caretta turtles from the WWF Marine Turtle Recovery Centre in Molfetta were released into the sea off the San Cataldo pier in Bari, with support from the local Port Authority. The ceremony was attended by university rector Roberto Bellotti, regional agriculture minister Francesco Paolicelli and other local officials.

Meanwhile, the Livorno Aquarium introduced a limited‑attendance experience called “A tu per tu con le tartarughe verdi,” allowing ten participants at a time to watch the feeding of two green turtles, Ari and Cuba, from a technical area above the shark tank. The visits are scheduled multiple times per day on weekends and holidays, offering an intimate glimpse of turtle behavior and promoting citizen‑science engagement.