Out of the approximate 650 loggerhead sea turtle nests that were recorded this summer throughout the nesting beaches of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, one was recorded on beach of West Laganas.

Due to purely anthropogenic influence, the nest numbers of West Laganas have been decreasing dramatically each year. That is why ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, and the Management Agency of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (NMPZ), in an effort to raise public awareness and inform the visitors of Zakynthos, one of the primary objectives of both organizations, will be organizing a public excavation of the nest on West Laganas.

ARCHELON, in collaboration with the NPMZ, collects daily scientific data about the sea turtle nests during the nesting and hatching season, spanning from May until mid-October.

ARCHELON’s trained volunteers, as well as the staff of the NMPZ, open up each nest after the end of incubation. This is always performed several days after the nest has hatched, to ensure all fit and healthy hatchlings have made already it to the sea successfully. By doing this, we can obtain valuable information about the hatching success of the nest.

Occasionally, in the excavation of some nests, live hatchlings are found, who have either been trapped by stones or sand, and have perhaps become too weak to reach the surface of the sand. In such cases, it as assed whether they are strong enough to reach the sea, or if they should be laid back under the sand to give them the opportunity to emerge the following night.

On Friday, September 22nd, at 17:30 pm, the public can witness the process of a sea turtle nest excavation, which will take place in front of Galaxy Hotel, on Laganas beach. The primary aim for this event is for the public to see the nest and to understand the importance of the protection measures defined by the Management Body of the NMPZ.

For more information on the Zakynthos National Marine Park and ARCHELON, you can visit the websites:

National Marine Park:http://www.nmp-zak.org (tel. Contact: 00 30 26950 29870)

ARCHELON The Sea turtle Protection Society of Greece: www.archelon.gr (Tel. Contact - Zakynthos: 00 30 6940454976

Zakynthos 20/09/2017