Our volunteers from abroad join us right on time for the hatching season
Mid-July of the COVID19 summer and ARCHELON’s teams are observing the usual peak in the number of nests of loggerhead sea turtles in all monitored nesting sites. Yet, things are very different in the projects, compared to past years. There are much fewer volunteers participating and all of them are carefully implementing precautions against COVID-19.
By now, most of the placements are covered. Applications of returning volunteers or those wishing to stay longer than 4 weeks are given priority. The number of volunteers finally confirmed for Zakynthos, Kyparissia and the Rescue Centre, is less than half of that in previous years. Rethymno and Lakonikos projects are run by staff and a handful of volunteers who will be staying until the end of the season. The nesting beaches of Chania, Messara in Crete and Koroni in south Peloponnese are so far monitored by local volunteers. Amvrakikos project and west Greece will be implemented by ARCHELON’s staff in different dates.
Legal provisions for eliminating photo- pollution on nesting beaches are in place in Greece. Local authorities are aware of them, as well as local businesses. The question is: will these coffee shops, bars, guest houses, hotels, restaurants near the beaches cover their lights in the coming weeks? Stay tuned for more news, on that front.
Turn off the lights on the nesting beaches of the sea turtle in Rethymno and Chania.
Important decisions on COVID-19 precautions in ARCHELON’s projects - July 2020
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