Double release and triple joy, this time together with our Life Euroturtles partners!
Two rescued female loggerhead sea turtles returned to their natural habitat, the sea, after a stay of about 10 months in ARCHELON’s Sea Turtle Rescue Centre. The event took place on Thursday 26/9/2019 and marks the happy outcome of a lengthy rescue effort in both cases. “Aphrodite” was found with a deliberate head injury in Ermioni, in November last year and was directly transported to the Rescue Centre. “Katerina” was found with a deliberate head injury in Halkidiki, also in November last year. This turtle was given first aid by Prof. A. Komninou at the Veterinary School of Thessaloniki University and consequently was transported to the Rescue Centre for treatment.
So, double release, but triple joy as the whole Life- Euroturtles team attended this event. ARCHELON was hosting the annual meeting of the project and partners from Cyprus, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Malta were in Glyfada during most of last week. The Life- Euroturtles project aims to improve connections and synergism on key conservation aspects among 6 EU countries, which are amongst the most important countries for the conservation of sea turtles in the Mediterranean. All participants were looking forward to the event of the rescued turtles release.
“We find it extremely useful to meet and exchange on the implementation of our commonly agreed activities” says Drasco Holcer, the Euroturtles Coordinator from the Croatian Natural History Museum. “Many loggerheads nest in Greece but feed and spend a lot of time in the Adriatic Sea and other parts of the Mediterranean, together with us and our fishermen. The threats of the sea turtles at sea are common in all countries” he added. Representatives of the European Commission, more specifically from EASME, who are supervising Life projects, also joined the meeting in Glyfada.
“We are happy that the Rescue Centre’s treatment facilities which were acquired in the framework of the Life Euroturtles, have already helped many injured animals” says Dimitris Fytilis, marine scientist MSc, who is the Rescue Centre Coordinator.
It is also a fact that with the latest improvements at the Rescue Centre, ARCHELON’s staff and volunteers have been able to put up with the increased number of arrivals of sea turtles deliberately injured in the head. “These cases take a long time to reach rehabilitation. Last winter, until the recent extensions, there was no space available at the Centre to admit new cases” says Eirini Kassimati, biologist MSc, who is ARCHELON’s rescue/rehabilitation officer.
All of the above having been said, our last thought is with the two rescued sea turtles who start a new journey and the tens of volunteers who took care of them during their stay! Good luck to all of you, as well as to our Life Euroturtles partners!
P100 – Planet Technopolis hosted environmental activities
Chrysanthis' return to the sea
RECENT NEWS
- 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
- OUR NEWS03/04/2024
Citizens inform us of sea turtle strandings
ARCHELON started the effort to record the incidents of dead turtles washing up on the Greek shores in 1992. In recent years there has been an increase in these records which may be due to more of our fellow citizens reporting such incidents. Learn more…
- OUR NEWS19/03/2024
Contributing to international developments on sea turtle research and conservation
In the past, members of ARCHELON were actively involved in the elaboration of the Global Strategy for the Conservation of Marine Turtles, published in 1995, and nowadays three of our collaborators participate in the writing of the revised guidebook “Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles”.
- OUR NEWS08/03/2024
The Over & Above Awards for 2023
These are the ARCHELON Over & Above Awards for 2023.
- OUR NEWS04/03/2024
The moving experience of Frederique at the Rescue Centre
At ARCHELON, you'll have the opportunity to meet and work together with new people and form lasting friendships - a major benefit of volunteering.
- OUR NEWS29/02/2024
Presentation of ARCHELON 2023 Results: Here is some good news!
On Thursday February 15th, 2024, ARCHELON’s annual Presentation of Results took place downtown, at the Impact Hub Athens. When welcoming members, staff, collaborators, friends and volunteers, Daphne Mavrogiorgos, Director of ARCHELON, spoke about the multi-leveled action of ARCHELON during 2023.
- OUR NEWS02/02/2024
Sea turtles in the Greek wetlands of international importance
World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on February 2. These vulnerable areas of the planet are a refuge for migratory birds and other wildlife species, including sea turtles. ARCHELON is present in wetlands that play an important role for sea turtles, such as the Amvrakikos Gulf.
- OUR NEWS24/01/2024
Why are ARCHELON’s projects international?
ARCHELON’s sea turtle conservation projects are organized with the valuable contribution of volunteers who come to Greece every year not just from Europe but from more distant places such as South Korea, Australia, and Colombia. Speaking English while carrying out fieldwork or public awareness activities as well as when interacting with each other in the campsites is essential to the projects.
- OUR NEWS17/01/2024
ARCHELON has been running a special hospital for sea turtles with tanks and impressive old train wagons for 30 years in Glyfada
Turtles with IV and bandages, rehabilitation and recovery tanks, special environmental enrichment equipment, recovery greenhouses, and… renovated train wagons! The hospital for injured and sick turtles that ARCHELON has set up in the 3rd marina of Glyfada, next to the sea, is certainly something out of the ordinary.