The Centro sperimentale per la tutela degli habitat, in Romagna, is dedicated to the rehabilitation of turtles, rays and other marine species in distress.
Human beings are part of a complex ecosystem, in which the health of every living creature depends on that of the others. And yet, we often seem to forget this, or to pretend we don't know it, because coexisting with the other creatures that inhabit this planet is not always easy. There are those who, quietly, work day after day to restore balance within the ecosystem, to mend the relationships between its components and to heal — literally — their wounds.
This is the work of the researchers at the Cestha, the Centro sperimentale per la tutela degli habitat, based in the historic complex of the old fish market in Marina di Ravenna, on the Romagna riviera. It is a non-profit organisation officially recognised by the Ministry of Education as a body for the development of environmental studies. It is an important centre for research and outreach, founded by a group of researchers in the fields of marine biology, veterinary science and natural sciences, but it is also the only centre in Italy dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of elasmobranchs, a subclass that includes rays, electric rays, certain shark species, sawfish and stingrays. "Unfortunately the latter are mistreated because they have a stinger, so everyone is afraid of them: fishermen, swimmers…", Simone D'Acunto, director of the Cestha, tells us.
"Over the years we have managed to get the message across that stingrays are not dangerous at all — obviously they should not be disturbed, like all wild animals — and all the players in the sea-fishing supply chain have come to know and love them. One of the last specimens we rescued last year is called Claudia, because she was found in distress in the area of the port of Ravenna and during the rescue we were helped by the port pilots in a free moment of their working day. The name Claudia actually comes from the fact that one of the operators involved in the rescue operation was called Claudio, and thanks to him we managed to save her, then rehabilitate her and release her back into the sea."
In addition to elasmobranchs, the centre also takes in sea turtles which, like the other animals, are studied and treated before being returned to the wild. Sadly, it is not uncommon for them to be victims of collisions with vessels or accidental catches during fishing activities, to ingest plastic or become entangled in it; they often arrive at the Cestha dehydrated or weakened, or with a fractured shell.
On this note, another remarkable story is that of Cenere, a turtle that in July was rescued by the coastguard at Cervia while fighting for her life after a propeller had torn open her shell so deeply that it severed one of her lungs. While waiting for the wound to heal, the centre asked Artificio digitale of Ravenna for help with printing a 3D shell, which allowed Cenere to be treated in water without the risk of the damaged lung filling with fluid.
The results of the Cestha, which collaborates with several universities and with the Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche, are impressive: 97 species rescued from accidental catches, 63 sharks saved, 350,000 juveniles bred, and 11,300 students reached. As well as ecosystem protection and conservation of at-risk species, the institute works to raise public awareness of the impact of human activities on marine fauna, and to promote sustainable fishing. The Italia-Croazia Prizefish project, in particular, aims to help make the Adriatic fishing system more sustainable, while ensuring that it remains effective in terms of quality.
"One of the strands we are developing is scientific research applied to the sustainable exploitation of resources; we try to experiment and test new techniques by working with fishermen to innovate the productive sector, so that it remains an economic activity that can continue while having less impact on the environment," concludes Simone D'Acunto.
This organisation, whose president is Sara Segati, is an Italian centre of excellence that, like a lighthouse, is shedding a little light on the Mediterranean — a basin that is unfortunately becoming ever more polluted, yet rich in biodiversity worth preserving.