Category: Oristano

The CNR-IRBIM of Oristano, CReS (Sinis Recovery Centre), the Regional Network of the Department of the Environment of Sardinia, and the Ceas of Nora (Environmental and Sustainability Education Centre) are joining the initiative of the Cagliari Academy of Art to promote the protection of the Mediterranean.This network of partners will give rise to a series of scientific and cultural initiatives aimed at highlighting the fragility of marine ecosystems, the impact of human activities, and the importance of safeguarding protected wildlife. The common goal is to combine the expressive power of artistic languages with the rigor of scientific research, translating data and knowledge into immediate visual stories aimed at the general public and younger generations.

The first initiative born from this collaboration will be an exhibition set up in the spaces of the Lazzaretto in Cagliari. The exhibition will directly involve students and teachers from the Academy of Art, working alongside researchers and experts from CNR-IRBIM, CReS, the Regional Network, and the Ceas – Environmental and Sustainability Education Centre.

Plastic pollution in our seas poses a lethal threat to marine life, particularly to Caretta caretta loggerhead sea turtles. Andrea De Lucia and Andrea Camedda from the CNR Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (IRBIM), based in Torregrande (Oristano), are raising a new alarm over the devastating impact of plastic waste, launching an important awareness campaign against littering at sea and along the coast. The initiative is part of the activities carried out by CReS (Regional Centre for Turtle and Cetacean Recovery). , a facility created through the collaboration between the Sinis Peninsula – Mal di Ventre Island Marine Protected Area and the CNR IRBIM of Oristano. The studies conducted highlight a critical situation: floating bags, packaging, and plastic fragments are mistaken by turtles for food, like the jellyfish they commonly feed on. The ingestion of these materials causes severe intestinal blockages, malnutrition, and often the death of the animal, alongside frequent cases of suffocation and entanglement in abandoned or lost fishing gear. To counter the emergency, the campaign aims to directly involve citizens, tourists, and local communities. The action plan focuses on education on land-based prevention to eliminate disposable plastics and ensure proper waste disposal, but also on cooperation with fishermen to encourage the recovery of plastics caught in their nets during fishing trips. Finally, researchers urge boaters and swimmers to promptly report the presence of injured or visibly distressed turtles to the recovery centers. The protection of the marine ecosystem depends on individual actions: stopping the flow of waste before it reaches the water is the only way to ensure the survival of this iconic Mediterranean species. Here is the link to the RAI Sardegna report.