Did you know sea-turtles nest here in Crete?
“No…”
“Really?”
“Here, on these beaches?”
are answers we hear all too often in Crete.
After volunteering in Zakynthos, this is very strange to hear. Turtles are such an attraction, turtle-themed souvenirs pour from every shop and returning visitors to the island come back specifically because they may see a turtle.
Rapid development in the 80s, before Archelon having the man-power to extend their conservation efforts to Crete, saw a lot of nesting beaches severely affected. The addition of wave-breakers and building directly on the back of the beach, swarms of sunbeds and beaches bathed in light meant that not only have the nesting areas shrunk, but what remains is becoming more unsuitable for nesting.
I honestly believe the best way to help preserve a species is to inform as many people as possible in all the many ways they can help. This is exactly why the Public Awareness (PA) programme of Archelon is just as important as the monitoring work conducted on the beaches. This year the Public Awareness programme in Rethymno had a little makeover. In addition to the usual information tables, kiosk and slideshows at hotels, we secured a position on ‘Barbarossa’ the pirate boat which offers daily trips out to the bay of Rethymno.
This year we also held a ‘Public Awareness Day’, where volunteers donned hand-painted billboards, an inflatable turtle and armed with leaflets did a walk of the nesting beaches to speak with as many people as possible. It was a resounding success and a boost for morale to volunteers. Not only did we speak with interested people and answer their questions but many were very interested in coming to volunteer!
We also invited everyone to our public excavations. In Crete where many people who visit are unaware that turtles exist here and chances to otherwise finance the project are low, these events present a really good opportunity to capture attention, and get people involved to see with their own eyes the issues faced by Caretta caretta in Crete.
I have many highlights from this season but there is one moment that sticks clearly in my mind. A German gent came after a slideshow to put a few euros in our donation box and said:
Joanne, whatʼs new at the Rescue Centre in July 2015?
Like a Turtle on its back: My Archelon Experience
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS15/07/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS26/06/2024
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".
- OUR NEWS17/06/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS16/06/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS13/06/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS17/05/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS16/05/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS14/05/2024
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!
- OUR NEWS02/05/2024
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!
- OUR NEWS02/05/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS29/04/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS26/04/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS12/04/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS10/04/2024
"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.
- OUR NEWS04/04/2024
LIFE MareNatura - The largest marine biodiversity program in Greece