ARCHELON’s Monitoring Supervisor talks about his role
Marine biologist Gonçalo J. Lourenço is the monitoring supervisor of ARCHELON’s field projects. Born in Lisbon, he moved to the UK in 2009. He did his Master’s on Marine Environmental Protection and is currently living and working in Wales, UK. He is happy to be a team member of the Zakynthos project for some weeks during the COVID-19 summer. Read his story about sea turtles and his current affiliation with ARCHELON.
The invitation to become ARCHELON’s Monitoring Supervisor came in February 2016 and it is still my current affiliation with the Society. It is a non-pay position, which I hold wholeheartedly because I am a member of the ARCHELON family. I work with people I appreciate, contributing to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who collect data every year on the beaches, aiming to protect our common environment.
As part of my new role I spent the whole 2016 nesting season in the summer projects. Keeping my base on Zakynthos, I visited and spent extensive periods of time in all core nesting projects of ARCHELON in Greece, which was a fascinating experience. Lakonikos Bay, Kyparissia Bay and Koroni in the Peloponnese are really unique places, and the projects there face different challenges. Of course, I got to know the nesting beaches/ sectors on Crete as well. My visits to Rethymno, Chania and Messara are always very constructive.
A big part of my role since 2016 is to train Monitoring Field Leaders for their tasks both on the beach and at the office. There are usually 13 Field Leaders across the nesting beach projects of ARCHELON throughout Greece that submit their databases every 2 weeks. My job is to perform quality checks to ensure the protocols are being administered correctly. I, then, provide the teams with feedback on their submission and give further training, where needed. Final quality checks are performed to the databases at the end of the season and possible errors are discussed and if needed corrected. Until these quality checks are satisfactory, reproduction data will remain “provisional”.
Last Sunday, alongside their daily tasks, Gonçalo and Nikoletta Sidiropoulou, the Zakynthos Project Officer of ARCHELON, also a marine biologist, found the time to review with the rest of the team a comprehensive induction on recording all types of sea turtle tracks. “It is always useful to check and update our training material. We are sure ARCHELON will keep welcoming new people in the projects in the years to come” said Gonçalo. “People should join ARCHELON’s projects as long as we keep COVID-19 out ” added Nikoletta smilingly.
Important decisions on COVID-19 precautions in ARCHELON’s projects - July 2020
SEA TURTLE RESCUE CENTER “rescued” during the pandemic by Nele Joachim, a volunteer from the European Solidarity Corps
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS05/07/2025
Discover the secret nature of Crete: Sea Turtle Beach Walk with ARCHELON
Live a unique ecotourism experience in Crete by participating in ARCHELON Sea Turtle Beach Walks on the nesting beaches of the Loggerhead, starting on May 15th in Chania and Rethymno. Now open for reservations on our website!
- OUR NEWS24/04/2025
Are You Over 50? The Sea Turtles Need You!
If you’re 50 or older and ready to dive into a unique conservation experience, we warmly invite you to join us. Help protect sea turtles, meet like-minded people, and discover the natural beauty of Greece with ARCHELON by your side.
- OUR NEWS22/04/2025
Turning the Tide: Sea Turtle Populations Show Signs of Recovery Worldwide
The first, after a decade, global study brings encouraging news for sea turtle conservation: more than half of their populations across the globe show signs of recovery. Listed among the authors is the Research Coordinator of ARCHELON, Aliki Panagopoulou PhD, who is mobilizing the long term field work of our Society on the nesting beaches of Greece.
- OUR NEWS17/04/2025
Special 2-week volunteering opportunity on the nesting beaches – we need you this May and June!
- OUR NEWS14/04/2025
Groundbreaking Study on Microplastic Pollution of Marine Turtle Nesting Beaches
ARCHELON took part in a recent global study that has uncovered alarming levels of microplastic contamination on marine turtle nesting beaches around the world.
- OUR NEWS09/04/2025
Become a Sea Turtle Guardian in Lakonikos Bay
Gracie and Claire, two dedicated individuals who made a significant impact on the sea turtle project of Lakonikos Bay in 2024, talked about their experience.
- OUR NEWS08/04/2025
Meeting of organizations, authorities and businessmen in Rethymno: Crete is preparing for the arrival of the turtles!
On Monday, April 7, we met for another year in the hospitable city of Rethymno to participate in the meeting organized by the Regional Unit of Rethymno on the topic of management measures for the protection of the loggerhead sea turtle!
- OUR NEWS31/03/2025
150 satellite tags for the protection of sea turtles
Since 2002, ARCHELON and its partners have placed 150 satellite and GSM tags on sea turtles monitoring their vast journeys across the Mediterranean!
- OUR NEWS24/03/2025
Become a Guardian of the Night: Volunteer with ARCHELON
On some select beaches, volunteer duties also include night patrols. During the hours when the presence of people on the nesting beaches is prohibited so as not to disturb the turtles, our trained volunteers start their shift, equipped with measuring instruments, research notebooks and red flashlights.
- OUR NEWS14/03/2025
Enriching the lives of rescued sea turtles
A recent study at ARCHELON's Sea Turtle Rescue Centre highlights the importance of environmental enrichment in improving the physical and psychological well-being of rescued sea turtles, aiding their rehabilitation and preparing them for successful release back into the wild.
- OUR NEWS24/02/2025
ARCHELON's Annual General Assembly
According to article 8 of the Statutes of ARCHELON Association, its’ members were invited to attend the Annual General Assembly on Saturday, 22 February 2025.
- OUR NEWS20/02/2025
From the ARCHELON’s Rescue Centre in Egypt!
A sea turtle, previously rehabilitated at the ARCHELON’s Rescue Centre, has once again made headlines, this time internationally. The tagged turtle was discovered weak and injured on an Egyptian beach after the recent rough seas. This incident, as reported by the Egyptian news agency, underscores the ongoing need to protect the fragile Mediterranean marine environment.
- OUR NEWS17/02/2025
ARCHELON's turtle toy travels the country with students and teachers
We would like to warmly thank all the schools that participated in the Online Tours during the 2023-2024 school year and spread the message of sea turtle protection to the ends of the country! The online tours for the current school year have already started.
- OUR NEWS12/02/2025
Online Presentation of Results 2024
Last year, 500 volunteers from all over the world came to help turtles in Greece! What did they achieve? Join us to find out!
- OUR NEWS11/02/2025
Historic Green Sea Turtle Nest Discovered on Rhodes Island, Greece
This species is globally endangered and the recent discovery is particularly significant as it suggests a possible shift in green turtle breeding areas.