18/11/2016

Caretta caretta nests in Attica!

When you hear the phrase ‘Caretta caretta nesting beaches’, most people think of Zakynthos, the Peloponnese or Crete. While these are the main nesting areas for the turtles in Greece, they do nest in other places throughout the country as well. People may not even realize that there is a nest on a beach, unless they see it being made or see the hatchlings coming out. Recently the Rescue Centre has been getting reports of nests found in various parts of Greece, such as Naxos, other islands, and surprisingly, Attica.

In July 2016, a local resident reported a sea turtle nest on a beach in Nea Makri, Attica. In August, ARCHELON Rescue Network Coordinator Pavlo Tsaros and a group of RC volunteers went to the beach to excavate the hatched nest to determine the number of eggs, etc.

h-caretta-caretta-ftiaxnei-fwlia-sthn-attikh-NeaMakri2016_hatchling1.jpg

At that time, Pavlo spotted a second, newer nest on the same beach. This second nest was located at the back of the beach and, due to beach erosion, quite an uphill climb from the sea. Eight weeks later, Pavlo and a group of RC volunteers returned to excavate the second nest, and to everyone’s surprise, hatchlings were coming out! Despite the wind, waves, and obstructions on the beach, the hatchlings (like little tanks) made their way up, down, in, and out of the obstacles, reached the sea and quickly disappeared. (See a video of these hatchlings at https://vimeo.com/182689701.) There were still eggs inside the nest which hadn’t hatched yet, so the nest was re-buried and will be excavated at a later time.

h-caretta-caretta-ftiaxnei-fwlia-sthn-attikh-NeaMakri2016_hatchling2.jpg

Next stop was Marathon beach, where a nest had been reported about 8 weeks earlier. Unfortunately, that part of the beach is filled with restaurants and cafes. Pavlos had instructed the local residents to protect the nest with a fence, which they did; unfortunately, the protective fence was destroyed by person(s) unknown, and re-built by an ARCHELON volunteer, but it was eventually removed by someone. The locals working in the nearby restaurants told Pavlos that they had seen only a few hatchlings make it to the sea; unfortunately, several had been confused by the bright street and shop lights and had been killed on the road.

h-caretta-caretta-ftiaxnei-fwlia-sthn-attikh-Marathon2016_hatchling1.jpg

In 2014, a nest was found at Lavrio and another in Porto Ennia. A local resident walking on the Lavrio beach one evening with her dog saw the mother turtle come out of the water and build the nest. Because of the construction of a paved road, the beach was very narrow, forcing the turtle to build the nest relatively close to the sea. The person who found the nest contacted Pavlos, who instructed her how to protect it. Residents kept Pavlo informed about the nest, and Pavlo and several ARCHELON volunteers went to check it. We were just in time to see 8 hatchlings leaving the nest and entering the sea. Some people actually spent the night watching the nest, and reported seeing other hatchlings come out the next night. Soon after, towards the end of the incubation period, the nest was flooded by waves. The nest was excavated, and the final outcome was as follows: in total, 21 hatchlings were known to have entered the sea; 11 dead hatchlings were found inside eggs; 12 unfertilized eggs, and 6 eggs with embryos at various stages were found.

h-caretta-caretta-ftiaxnei-fwlia-sthn-attikh-Lavriohatchlings2014.jpg

At Porto Ennia, the small beach (located close to houses and a street) was heavily developed and much used. A local resident said they had found a number of hatchlings heading towards the nearby street and house lights, but had recovered them and put them into the sea. It was impossible to find the location of the nest due to the heavy use of the beach.

In all cases, local residents were very interested to learn more about the Caretta caretta turtles, and said they would notify Pavlo of any future nests they may find.

For more information and photos about turtle biology and nesting, see the ARCHELON website (for information in Greek, http://www.archelon.gr/contents/biology.php?row=row7 + a downloadable PDF book; for information in English, http://www.archelon.gr/eng/biology.php?row=row7. Unfortunately, the book is not available in English at this time.)

So, next time you’re at your favorite sandy beach, take a closer look around – you might get lucky!

Joanne Stournara & Pavlos Tsaros,

October 2016

RECENT NEWS

  1. OUR NEWS
    15/07/2024

    Ecotourism in Peloponnese and Crete: Explore a Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach

    ARCHELON offers a unique ecological experience for the lucky and aware travelers who will find themselves this summer on important Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches that the Association protects.

    Read more
  2. OUR NEWS
    26/06/2024

    Sea Turtles Surprise us: if you see tracks on the beach, help ARCHELON's research!

    Not all beaches on Greece's extensive coastline are suitable for sea turtle nesting, but sometimes these marine reptiles surprise us! This summer, ARCHELON is asking for your help to investigate a phenomenon called "sporadic nesting".

    Read more
  3. OUR NEWS
    17/06/2024

    ATTENTION! Sea turtles are not pets: Do not touch them or feed them!

    In areas where a sea turtle associates human presence with food, it’s behavior changes. The turtle treats humans as well as other turtles as competitors in its feeding grounds and tries to drive them away with bites.

    Read more
  4. OUR NEWS
    16/06/2024

    30 Years of Hope: The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre of ARCHELON Celebrates World Sea Turtle Day

    Every year on June 16th, we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about these magnificent creatures and the threats they face. This year is particularly important for ARCHELON, as the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre marks 30 years of operation.

    Read more
  5. OUR NEWS
    13/06/2024

    Poster contest for children and young adults: Welcome the 2024 turtle hatchlings on the beaches!

    Watercolors, markers, collage, computer, phone? Everything is useful. Use your creativity and imagination to make an A3 or A4 size poster announcing that the 2024 sea turtle eggs are about to hatch.

    Read more
  6. OUR NEWS
    17/05/2024

    Amvrakikos Project 2024: Special Call for a Field Leader

    ARCHELON is looking for a highly motivated person to lead its project in Amvrakikos Gulf, one of the few foraging sites for loggerhead turtles in Greece linking several populations nesting across the Mediterranean region.

    Read more
  7. OUR NEWS
    16/05/2024

    Τhe nesting of loggerhead sea turtles started earlier this year and the effects of the climate crisis on the oceans are worrying

    For the first time, in the 40 years of ARCHELON records, the first sea turtle nest was found in Laganas Gulf, Zakythos on May 10th. Scientific predictions of the nesting season moving earlier in the spring due to climate change are being confirmed.

    Read more
  8. OUR NEWS
    14/05/2024

    Save Turtles, See Greece on a Budget

    Dreaming of pristine Greek beaches and a chance to make a real difference? Here's why June and September are the perfect months to volunteer with sea turtle conservation efforts in Greece!

    Read more
  9. OUR NEWS
    02/05/2024

    Sea Turtle Festival for Kids 2024

    Save the date! On Saturday 18 May at 11:00, the ARCHELON Rescue Centre opens its doors to welcome young and old sea turtle friends who want to celebrate, explore, learn, play and travel magically in the Mediterranean Sea. We are waiting for you to strengthen our message for a better and sustainable planet!

    Read more
  10. OUR NEWS
    02/05/2024

    A successful year for the International Sea Turtle Symposium

    The International Sea Turtle Symposium concluded triumphantly this March in Pattaya, Thailand, with ARCHELON actively participating.

    Read more
  11. OUR NEWS
    29/04/2024

    A Morning Beach Patrol with ARCHELON

    The camera lens of Stefanos and Maria of SteMajourneys caught a rare sight in the early morning: a Loggerhead sea turtle nesting! The volunteers in Chania took action right away to protect the nest.

    Read more
  12. OUR NEWS
    26/04/2024

    Protecting sea turtles in Rethymno- Our Ocean, an Ocean of Potential

    The 9th International Conference "Our Ocean", which was held in Athens from April 15 to 17, was successfully completed. ARCHELON had the honor to actively take part in the conference and hosted a side event.

    Read more
  13. OUR NEWS
    12/04/2024

    Coordination for the protection of sea turtles in Rethymno: Local authorities and tourism businesses join forces

    The meeting, which took place on April 5, 2024, in the building of the Regional Unit of Rethymno, touched upon key issues, such as the observance of conservation measures for the protection of the Loggerhead sea turtle. Given the tourist activity on the nesting beaches, the active participation of the tourism sector in the implementation of the measures is necessary.

    Read more
  14. OUR NEWS
    10/04/2024

    "Tourists and turtles?" The environmental awareness campaign of ARCHELON spreads to the nesting beaches of the Loggerhead sea turtle

    After the pandemic, ARCHELON - the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece - is once again mobilizing on the path to sustainable tourism. The aim of the new campaign is to provide information on the appropriate code of conduct for visitors to all nesting beaches, in cooperation with the tourism sector.

    Read more
  15. OUR NEWS
    04/04/2024

    LIFE MareNatura - The largest marine biodiversity program in Greece

    Read more
1 out of 0
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Learn about our latest actions and find out about our programs and how you can help sea turtles!