Caretta-caretta nesting season started in Rethymno (Crete)!
Itʼs well known that Crete hosts three very significant caretta nesting beaches in Rethymno, Chania and Messaraʼs Bay. Although these areas are critical for the Mediterranean sea and a major part of them has been included in the NATURA European network of protected areas as should, they still remain with no legal protection status facing a number of threatening to their future issues.
Creteʼs caretta nesting beaches have been downgraded enough because of the uncontrolled tourist development during the 80s and 90s. The sand dunes face destruction as they are at a large scale being rapidly eroded, and finally the beach is almost disappearing.
The large number of beach umbrellas and reclining chairs that are left on the beach at night impede the slow travel of the female turtles as they make their way up to the dune line to nest. The bright artificial lights are fatal for hatchlings as they become confused and disoriented.
At the same time, a greater threat comes from the sea, since each year many sea turtles are reported dead or injured, mainly due to inadvertent capture in fishing lines and nets.
After all, it is not that strange the number of nests in Rethymno and Chania is declining, stressing the imperative need to take all appropriate measures for their protection immediately.
The importance of the turtles laying beaches in Crete has been established beyond any doubt. ARCHELON has been working systematically in Rethymno since 1989 collecting nesting data, protecting the nests threatened and informing the public.
The field work is conducted with the permission of the competent Ministry of Agriculture and the support of the local authorities and municipalities, by trained volunteers who come particularly for this purpose from around the globe.
ARCHELON jointly with the Municipality of Arkadi reconstructed the old school building in Pagkalohori and turned it to a Nature Information Centre, hosting appropriate environmental learning programs for schools and organized groups.
Please note the sea turtles reproducing in Rethymno, Chania and in the Bay of Messara each form a particular and independent population not related to the ones of Zakynthos and Kyparissia. We were able to document this thanks to our long term tagging program.
Remarkably, marine turtles from each region, even if they make long journeys for feeding reasons up to the North Adriatic Sea and Tunisia, the adult females return back to their own hatch site to lay their own clutches of eggs.
It is important to address the threats to sea turtles and the natural habitats upon which they depend. ARCHELON has been doing exactly that for more than 25 years now. With your help we can do more.
Your support will help us ensure sea turtles are swimming free in the sea for future generations!
Marathonisi in Zakynthos: a special nesting beach
The very first caretta caretta nest in the Bay of Kyparissia for 2009!
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS02/02/2025
2 years of joint systematic efforts to protect Greece's largest wetland
- OUR NEWS28/01/2025
The ARCHELON Recap for 2024: We kept on fighting for Sea Turtles and the protection of the Oceans
2024 was the year that the recovery of the loggerhead sea turtle breeding population in Kyparissia Bay has been confirmed! This site now hosts the largest breeding population in the Mediterranean, which has been growing steadily in the past years thanks to the consistent long-term nest protection efforts of ARCHELON. It was also the warmest year globally on record when, on the side of our heavy core business workload, we made time to strengthen our commitment to volunteerism and sustainable tourism.
- OUR NEWS20/01/2025
Thank You to our 2024 Field Leaders: The Heart of Sea Turtle Conservation
At ARCHELON, we owe much of our success to the dedication and passion of our Field Leaders. These incredible individuals guide our volunteers throughout their work in the field, ensuring that our mission to protect sea turtles is carried out with precision, care, and enthusiasm.
- OUR NEWS16/01/2025
The sweet side of healing: Why honey is a secret weapon for saving injured sea turtles.
The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of honey help fight infections in open wounds, a common problem for injured sea turtles.
- OUR NEWS18/12/2024
An injured Loggerhead sea turtle returns to the ARCHELON Rescue Centre with plastics in its digestive system.
Greece has made progress in cutting down on plastic bag use, but we all need to do more. Sea pollution from plastic is still a major threat, harming both people and marine life.
- OUR NEWS06/12/2024
ARCHELON is on the Frontline of Sea Turtle Rescue in the Mediterranean.
For the first time, we have conducted CT scans for accurate diagnoses and started special blood tests and ultrasounds to monitor the health of sea turtles under our care.
- OUR NEWS03/12/2024
Summer 2025: Lead the Way in Sea Turtle Conservation and become a Field Leader with ARCHELON!
A limited number of experienced and capable volunteers are selected each year for the positions of Field Leaders on the ARCHELON projects. Applications and short CVs for 2025 are now accepted!
- OUR NEWS25/11/2024
Make this gift-giving season more magical: Adopt a Sea Turtle for your loved ones!
Whether it's for the wildlife lover in your life, or someone who cares about the planet, an adoption from ARCHELON is a present that keeps on giving.
- OUR NEWS18/11/2024
A Nest of Hope: Keanu's Journey with ARCHELON
Keanu Groeneveld, a Wildlife Management student from the Netherlands, recently completed an internship with ARCHELON at the Sea Turtle Conservation Project in Rethymno, Crete. His experience was more than ever expected; it was a transformative journey that ignited his passion for wildlife conservation.
- OUR NEWS12/11/2024
Turtle protection through satellite trackers: TUI Care Foundation and conservation organisation ARCHELON release sea turtle in Greece
Triton was released back into the Mediterranean Sea with a satellite transmitter after several months of rehabilitation at ARCHELON's Sea Turtle Rescue Centre. As part of the TUI Turtle Aid programme, the initiative aims to contribute valuable insights into sea turtle behaviour.
- OUR NEWS11/11/2024
A very exciting nesting record confirms the recovery of the Loggerhead population breeding in Kyparissia Bay, Greece!
This year, ARCHELON has recorded a new nesting record: 6,700 Loggerhead nests in the core nesting area of Kyparissia Bay.
- OUR NEWS28/10/2024
A wildlife symbol turned into a macabre tourist attraction
Αn embalmed Loggerhead sea turtle was found on public display in front of one of the Kastos island’s taverns.
- OUR NEWS23/10/2024
Growing Beyond Boundaries: A Volunteer's Transformation
“Through volunteering in Chania, I was able to go beyond my limits and discover a new world,” says Hyerim Ryu, explaining her motivation and sharing her experience of 5 weeks volunteering with ARCHELON.
- OUR NEWS18/10/2024
Is there any progress on establishing an all-embracing Marine Park in the Ionian Sea?
We are awaiting the results of the study with great interest, as the establishment of the new Marine Park in the Ionian Sea will be a landmark for the protection of sea turtles in the Mediterranean.
- OUR NEWS16/10/2024
Greece's Marine Protected Areas remain unprotected
A new report, by nine environmental organizations, identifies serious deficiencies in the protection of the most important Greek marine habitats, stressing the urgent need for immediate action