We named her “Snowball” because she was found injured in December 2024. It wasn’t the first time that ARCHELON’s rehabilitation team had to care for a severely injured loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), but “Snowball” was one of the most difficult cases, as her condition was critical. Two passersby found her washed ashore and entangled in fishing gear on the beach of Zacharo, in Kyparissia Bay, and immediately contacted ARCHELON’s 24/7 rescue hotline (+30 6941 511 511). This was the first vital link in the chain of care that ultimately saved her life.

The central link in this chain was ARCHELON’s unique Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in Glyfada, where the young turtle was quickly transported for treatment. For 30 years now, ARCHELON’s dedicated rehabilitation team and volunteers have worked tirelessly at this facility to save hundreds of injured sea turtles through hard work, commitment, compassionate care, and the valuable support of key partners such as the Green Fund.

Initial medical tests showed that “Snowball’s” condition was worse than expected. She had suffered a broken front flipper, with a possible need for amputation. Additionally, during her rehabilitation, she passed down a 48-centimeter-long piece of rope, a tragic sign of the human-made pollution that threatens marine life. “Snowball” arrived in a very poor condition, visibly exhausted and injured,” says Eirini Kasimati, ARCHELON’s Rehabilitation and Welfare Officer. “Her case, like so many others each year, is a painful reminder of how vulnerable sea turtles are to human activities, especially pollution and abandoned fishing gear. Every successful release back into the sea is the result of collective effort and gives us the strength to carry on.”

Thanks to persistence, medication, daily care, and a great deal of patience, “Snowball” gradually moved from a critical state to full recovery. Six months later, on July 2, 2025, the time had come for her release. She was returned to the sea at a quiet beach in Attica, with ARCHELON volunteers accompanying her to this new start.

It is estimated that around 9,700 sea turtles are accidentally caught in fishing gear each year in Greece. “Snowball” was one of the lucky rescues thanks to the swift actions of citizens, early reporting, and the expert care she received at the ARCHELON Rescue Centre.

The process of rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing sea turtles back into the wild requires significant resources, including proper facilities, medical equipment, and specialised staff.

What was achieved for “Snowball” and for dozens of other sea turtles would not have been possible without the vital support of the Green Fund, through the project “Rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of sea turtles into their natural environment in 2025.” This funding by the Green Fund, with a budget of €86,000.00 under the Green Fund’s program “NATURAL ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE RESILIENCE 2025” and specifically under PRIORITY AXIS 1: PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT – CLIMATE RESILIENCE & RELATED ACTIONS, aims to support the operation of the ARCHELON Rescue Centre during 2025.

Thanks to this support, the ARCHELON Rescue Centre continues to be a point of reference for sea turtle conservation in Greece. The story of “Snowball” is a reminder of hope for the restoration of the natural environment even in the most difficult circumstances, provided that citizen awareness, scientific knowledge, and institutional support join forces.