A significant victory for the protection of sea turtles in Chania, thanks to the direct cooperation of ARCHELON and NECCA.

Pleasant news came from Pyrgos Psilonerou beach, near Maleme, Chania, where 66 loggerhead nests are hosted this year. After ARCHELON promptly informed the Samaria National Park and Protected Areas of Western Crete Management Unit of NECCA (Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency) regarding a beach party scheduled on the beach on August 8, NECCA immediately mobilized and contacted the organizers. Ultimately, the event was cancelled with the agreement of the organizers, the Kontomari Cultural Association. This development is a very positive example of what timely information and cooperation between the competent bodies can achieve to protect a sensitive ecosystem.

This particular beach is located within the Natura 2000 network site GR4340003 and is an important sea turtle nesting site. In total, approximately 180 nests have been recorded on the nesting beaches of Chania this year, with 66 of them located at Pyrgos Psilonerou.

This period is particularly important for turtles: while adult Loggerheads continue to come to the beaches to nest, the first hatchlings are starting to appear from the nests that have been created in previous weeks. Thus, bright lighting, loud music, increased human presence and activities on the sand during the evening hours can create problems for both mothers and hatchlings.

This is not the first time that such an event has caused problems. In the summer of 2025, a similar party in the same area, which was scheduled to end by 10:00 PM, ended up continuing until the early hours of the morning. The event negatively affected 18 recorded nests, with incidents of premature hatching, hatchling disorientation and destruction of nests.

This year, however, the story had a different ending. The timely information from ARCHELON and the immediate response of OFYPEKA led to the cancellation of the event and, most importantly, to the avoidance of another potential disturbance on a beach that is currently a "maternity ward" for thousands of baby turtles.

ARCHELON thanks the Management Unit of NECCA for the immediate mobilization and the Kontomari Cultural Association for their contribution to the protection of the nesting beaches in Chania.