Loggerhead hatchlings found their way to the sea despite the intense light pollution in Rethymnon
On the 10th of October, the ARCHELON team closed down the Rethymnon campsite for the winter and embarked on the 12-hour journey back to Athens after 5 months of intense work protecting the sea turtle nesting beaches.
Lydia Koutrouditsou, ARCHELON’s Project manager for Crete says: “The determination of the volunteers and researchers who joined the project in 2022 was impressive. They surveyed 11 km of beach daily and protected about 170 sea turtle nests, amidst thousands of tourists. They also managed to inform about 14, 000 visitors through hotel presentations, beach walks, and at the Information Station of ARCHELON in the town of Rethymnon. We are grateful for their passion to protect the sea turtles and talk to the people about the issues related to their conservation”.
70 volunteers joined the project in total, each staying for 5 weeks or more, from late May until mid-October, with some of them joining for the second time. They received training from the field leaders: Mia Kotzageorgi (Monitoring Coordinator), Kotsiras Kostas, Sam Finlayson, De Wit Lieke, Fergus Lang (Monitoring Leaders), Grace McFlane, Alicia Kolhosser (Public Awareness Leaders) Aspetaki Eleni (Public Awareness Coordinator). “A big thank you to the Coordinators and the Field leaders, who contributed their experience and hard work to the project. We could not have made it without you" adds Lydia.
The beach of Rethymnon hosts the largest number of loggerhead turtle nests on the island of Crete. ARCHELON has documented a significant decrease in the number of nests since 2020, through long-term monitoring on this site.
Beach furniture and lights on the beach during the summer nights, when sea turtles emerge from the sea to lay their eggs, disturb nesting females and hatchlings. The presence of ARCHELON on the nesting beach of Rethymnon is essential to the nesting sea turtles and the survival of the hatchlings. Team members locate the nests and place protective cages over them to avoid trampling by beach users. Just before the hatchling season, the team place creates “shading” around each nest in order to help baby turtles avoid disorientation by the intense lights and reach the sea safely.
“We will soon start preparing for the 2023 projects, hoping to receive many enthusiastic volunteers and field leaders and maintain the high quality of the projects. We need to protect the nests and hatchlings every year, in order to help restore the sea turtle nesting population in Rethymnon” concludes Lydia.
If you would like to become a volunteer and join the ARCHELON team at Rethymnon, for the 2023 nesting season, make sure to keep an eye out on our website.
ARCHELON’s Rescue Centre counts 27 recovered sea turtle releases since early June!
Threats for sea turtles persist in Zakynthos, despite having saved the nests for 2022
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS14/03/2025
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- OUR NEWS24/02/2025
ARCHELON's Annual General Assembly
According to article 8 of the Statutes of ARCHELON Association, its’ members were invited to attend the Annual General Assembly on Saturday, 22 February 2025.
- OUR NEWS20/02/2025
From the ARCHELON’s Rescue Centre in Egypt!
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- OUR NEWS17/02/2025
ARCHELON's turtle toy travels the country with students and teachers
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- OUR NEWS12/02/2025
Online Presentation of Results 2024
Last year, 500 volunteers from all over the world came to help turtles in Greece! What did they achieve? Join us to find out!
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Historic Green Sea Turtle Nest Discovered on Rhodes Island, Greece
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- OUR NEWS04/02/2025
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2 years of joint systematic efforts to protect Greece's largest wetland
- OUR NEWS28/01/2025
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2024 was the year that the recovery of the loggerhead sea turtle breeding population in Kyparissia Bay has been confirmed! This site now hosts the largest breeding population in the Mediterranean, which has been growing steadily in the past years thanks to the consistent long-term nest protection efforts of ARCHELON. It was also the warmest year globally on record when, on the side of our heavy core business workload, we made time to strengthen our commitment to volunteerism and sustainable tourism.
- OUR NEWS20/01/2025
Thank You to our 2024 Field Leaders: The Heart of Sea Turtle Conservation
At ARCHELON, we owe much of our success to the dedication and passion of our Field Leaders. These incredible individuals guide our volunteers throughout their work in the field, ensuring that our mission to protect sea turtles is carried out with precision, care, and enthusiasm.
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The sweet side of healing: Why honey is a secret weapon for saving injured sea turtles.
The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of honey help fight infections in open wounds, a common problem for injured sea turtles.
- OUR NEWS18/12/2024
An injured Loggerhead sea turtle returns to the ARCHELON Rescue Centre with plastics in its digestive system.
Greece has made progress in cutting down on plastic bag use, but we all need to do more. Sea pollution from plastic is still a major threat, harming both people and marine life.
- OUR NEWS06/12/2024
ARCHELON is on the Frontline of Sea Turtle Rescue in the Mediterranean.
For the first time, we have conducted CT scans for accurate diagnoses and started special blood tests and ultrasounds to monitor the health of sea turtles under our care.
- OUR NEWS03/12/2024
Summer 2025: Lead the Way in Sea Turtle Conservation and become a Field Leader with ARCHELON!
A limited number of experienced and capable volunteers are selected each year for the positions of Field Leaders on the ARCHELON projects. Applications and short CVs for 2025 are now accepted!
- OUR NEWS25/11/2024
Make this gift-giving season more magical: Adopt a Sea Turtle for your loved ones!
Whether it's for the wildlife lover in your life, or someone who cares about the planet, an adoption from ARCHELON is a present that keeps on giving.