Earlier than ever before was the start of the 2025 Hatching Season of Loggerheads in Greece – The first hatchlings have reached the sea!
We are excited to announce the beginning of the 2025 sea turtle hatching season, with remarkable records from the nesting beaches where ARCHELON’s projects are run.
On July 9th, 2025, the first hatchlings of the season emerged on the beach of Elaia, in the Kyparissia Bay area of the Peloponnese. This marks the earliest hatching event ever recorded since monitoring began in 1984 – a major milestone in ARCHELON’s 42 years of continuous conservation work. Many tiny hatchlings successfully made their way to the sea, kicking off the season with great momentum!
Just two days later, on July 11th, 2025, the first nest hatched on the island of Crete, at Afrathia beach in Messara Bay. ARCHELON’s local team found the first hatchlings’ tracks reaching the sea safely.
On the same day, the first hatching of the season was also recorded in Zakynthos, at Dafni beach. One small hatchling reached the sea, officially marking the start of the hatching season on the island.
How to Help the Hatchlings – Behaviour Guidelines for the Public
As the hatching season progresses, it’s essential for everyone near the nesting beaches of Zakynthos, Kyparissia Bay, Koroni, Lakonikos Bay, Rethymno, Chania and Messara Bay, to be aware of how to behave on nesting beaches. The tiny sea turtle hatchlings are extremely vulnerable and need our help to reach the sea safely.
If you encounter hatchlings on the beach:
- Do not touch them – Human contact must be kept to a minimum
- Do not take them to the sea – It is crucial that they make it to the water on their own
- Avoid visiting nesting beaches at night – Hatchlings usually emerge after dark and need peace and quiet
- Turn off artificial lights near the beach – Hatchlings orient themselves using the natural light of the moon and stars
- Do not use flash photography – Artificial light can disorient them
- Protect them from the sun – Provide shade using your body or towel if needed
- Clear obstacles and keep animals away from their path – Help ensure their route to the sea is safe and direct
We urge you to share these guidelines with your friends, inform other visitors, and become part of the effort to protect this unique marine species. Together, we can give hatchlings the best possible start to their life in the sea!
Public Excavations of Sea Turtle Nests in Crete
Important presentations at the 16th International Congress on the Zoogeography and Ecology of Greece and Adjacent Regions (ICZEGAR)
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