One turtle laid 80 eggs in the town of Denia on Saturday, and another laid 62 in Gandia on Monday, which are both in the eastern Valencia region, the Oceanographic Foundation said. Loggerheads turtles used to nest mainly in the eastern Mediterranean, in countries such as Turkey, Cyprus and Greece, but for some years the coasts of Spain, France and Italy have been recording an increased presence of loggerhead turtle egg clutches. Warmer waters have attracted the turtles, biologist Ana Liria, head of ADS Biodiversidad, a charity based in Gran Canaria, told Reuters in April. When those turtles grow up, they will form part of program to help their survival. The remainder of the eggs were taken to a protected beach in the Albufera Natural Park to avoid contact with passers-by.

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Persons: Read, Ana Liria, Emma Pinedo, Joan Faus, Sharon Singleton Organizations: University of Valencia, Oceanographic Foundation, Gran Canaria, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gandia, Valencia Spain, MADRID, Denia, Valencia, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Gran, Tunisia