Fieldwork at the beach of Preveza
The last ARCHELON mission for 2020 was completed a couple of days ago at the beach of Preveza, in western Greece. More than 15 loggerhead nests have been recorded there, from Kastrosykia to Mytikas, during the last 4 summers.
Unlike other organisms that have their sex determined genetically, the sex of the loggerhead hatchlings is determined by temperature. This phenomenon is observed in most species of turtles, crocodiles, many fish species and lizards.
The ratio of male/female hatchlings depends on the range of temperatures inside each nest and it is different in each nesting area of Greece. Lower temperatures in the nest favor male hatchlings while higher temperatures favor female ones. Determining this ratio is vital for any population analysis, especially so for the future survival of this species in the face of climate crisis.
Next comes the analysis of data, which will be done in the upcoming months. Until then, stay safe!
Big loss after 28 years of active reproduction
The Green Fund co-financed the Zakynthos project for the first time
RECENT NEWS
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