The small caretta named "Filippos" arrived at the Rescue Center from Volos 10 months ago with a fishermanʼs hook stuck in his body. The volunteers at the Center took good care of him and finally the time came to release him.

Pavlos Tsaros, Rescue Center Manager, brought “Filippos” to the Mavrovouni beach (Blue Flag) on Friday 7th of August, where ARCHELON' s research filed station is also located, so the volunteers of the station and the members of “Xelonoparea, ARCHELON's youth group, could actively participate in the release !

At the Lakonikos Bay, ARCHELONʼs volunteers have been protecting the sea turtlesʼ nests and the hatchlings for many years and their camp is inside the premises of the “MELTEMI” camping. During the first week of August, the summer camp of “Xelonoparea” also takes place at the same location. There, young people from 10 to 14 years old, have the chance to live up-close and get the wonderful experience of the extensive conservation and research programmes ARCHELON supports and conducts in the area.

The occasion of the release soon became a festive event! Next to our kiosk on the beach we pitched a special tent for the exhibition displays regarding the biology, the habits and the threats for the sea turtles. Following our invitation, many were the children and young people who joined us, played with our grand floor game and took part in many other entertaining and fun-to-learn activities.

Upon completion of this part of the event and after more than 300 people had gathered on the beach to watch and cheer the release, Neil Davis – the person responsible for the Lakonikos programme – and the volunteer Dina Zafiri, carried Filippos to the beach.

Filippos scooted the final meters across the wet sand himself, slipped into the calm water and disappeared.

The members of Xelonoparea had drawn a huge goodbye banner and, at the end, they distributed cloth bags to the audience as an encouragement to stop using the plastic ones.

Itʼs been a most rewarding experience for all those who came to wish “Filippos” a happy and safe voyage. Actually this is of the few occasions where one can see a sea turtle, since they spend most of their lives in the water, and attending the release of an endangered species into the wild is precious!(TBP/ES)

Filippos, farewell!