In early April eleven pond turtles (Emys orbicularis orbicularis) were born in the installations of the Centre de Recuperació de Tortugues de l’Albera (CRT) in Garriguella, together with twenty-one that were born last fall, will join the group of turtles released into the Ter basin next year as part of the LIFE Potamo Fauna "Conservation of river fauna of European interest in the Natura 2000 network of basins rivers Ter and Muga.". One of the goals of this project is to conserve and restore populations of river pond turtles, a species seriously threatened by releases of captive-bred species. In the whole project is expected to release a minimum of 150 turtles.

The Centre de Recuperació de Tortugues de l’Albera includes facilities for the captive breeding of the tortoise that keeps in Albera the last mainland population (Testudo hermanni) and also the pond turtles. The aim of the Centre is the captive breeding of turtles in order to reduce the significant juvenile mortality that occurs in nature, and thus have a significant number of individuals in order to release them, and increase the natural populations. Facilities in the CRT also allow the study of the biology of turtles and characterize the ecotype of the Eastern Pyrenees turtles. The Centre also acts as teaching center, for schools, families, groups and all types of visitors, where they are taught to understand and love turtles and Mediterranean forest, and avoid capturing or disturbing these unique animals.