Meet Marina, a graceful sea turtle who spends her days exploring the diverse coral reefs of the Mediterranean Sea with effortless grace. Marina’s name comes from the Latin word ‘marinus,’ which refers to the sea - a very appropriate name, given that Marina has spent almost all of her life in the ocean.

Marina is a laid-back sea turtle, with little to hurry for! A typical sea turtle may grow to about four foot, with the largest of the species growing to about six foot! Due to her size, swimming is not a quick task, and so Marina enjoys ambling around the reef at a slow pace, exploring her territory and searching for some of her favourite treats, such as small crabs and welks.

Sadly, Marina’s life isn’t easy, and growing plastic pollution puts her and her sea turtle peers in great danger of entrapment or accidental ingestion every single day.

Illustration by Tom Levesley