21/05/2021

Sea turtles are not pets – please do not touch or feed them

Every time we forget that sea turtles belong to the wild, we or another fellow human being may be reminded in an unpleasant way. For example, if someone gets the chance to meet a turtle at sea, they may try to approach it by swimming to touch it, or worse, to throw some human food to it. The reactions of these ancient animals, however, do not resemble those of pets. A turtle at sea can chase you away from its living space. Also, if it has been fed at this spot by humans, it can approach you and bite you.

Are there areas in Greece where people have been observed to feed sea turtles? "Some years ago, in the summers of 2016-2017, we observed tourists feeding sea turtles in Laganas bay, a nature protection area established for sea turtle conservation," replies Nikoletta Sidiropoulou, the ARCHELON Officer for Zakynthos. "Fortunately, the National Marine Park of Zakynthos informed the owners of tourist boats in the area and we informed visitors in our kiosks. Consequently, no such observation has been reported from 2018 onwards," she continues.

oi-thalassies-xelwnes-den-einai-katoikidia-zwa-den-tis-aggizoume-oute-tis-taizoume-Achilleas.jpg

It so happens that fishermen may throw non-tradable catches back into the sea when they empty their nets. Any "permanent" sea turtles near harbors may benefit from such an activity. However, increasing information reaches ARCHELON which indicates there are owners of restaurants or bars in various areas who engage in regular feeding of sea turtles at sea, in order to have them admired by their customers.

In March 2020, during a show of the famous chef Akis Petretzikis (Akis' Food Tour), dedicated to Mani, we watched the owner of a tavern in Limeni boasting that he has been feeding the 4 sea turtles of the area on the remains of fish, octopuses & squid, every day for one year at least. The result: 40 cases of bathers bitten by the turtles in the summer of 2019 and 170 cases in the summer months of 2020, confirmed by the Areopolis Health Center nearby.

This year, the Municipality of East Mani requested the assistance of ARCHELON to inform swimmers in the area. «We explained that in the places which a sea turtle associates with food provided by humans, it tends to treat bathers and other turtles as competitors in its feeding area and may chase them away with bites» says Panagiota Theodorou, Coordinator of Legal and Institutional Issues. The dumping of dead organisms and food waste at sea is not allowed, especially when it is a disturbance to a protected species. “Competent authorities for law enforcement in these cases are the Police and the Port Authorities’ she adds.

Knowledge of marine organisms and information can help develop more respect for the planet's nature and ecosystems amongst humans. Humans and turtles "we can all live together" as is the motto of ARCHELON's actions since 1983.

oi-thalassies-xelwnes-den-einai-katoikidia-zwa-den-tis-aggizoume-oute-tis-taizoume-limeni_tampela.jpg

More Information

Dimitris Fytilis, Rescue Centre Manager of ARCHELON email: rc.officer@archelon.gr, tel.: 6944 929 622.

Galini Samlidou, Peloponnisos Projects Officer of ARCHELON, email: southpelop@archelon.gr, tel.: 6951 009 785.

RECENT NEWS

  1. OUR NEWS
    26/06/2024

    Sea Turtles Surprise us: if you see tracks on the beach, help ARCHELON's research!

    Not all beaches on Greece's extensive coastline are suitable for sea turtle nesting, but sometimes these marine reptiles surprise us! This summer, ARCHELON is asking for your help to investigate a phenomenon called "sporadic nesting".

    Read more
  2. OUR NEWS
    17/06/2024

    ATTENTION! Sea turtles are not pets: Do not touch them or feed them!

    In areas where a sea turtle associates human presence with food, it’s behavior changes. The turtle treats humans as well as other turtles as competitors in its feeding grounds and tries to drive them away with bites.

    Read more
  3. OUR NEWS
    16/06/2024

    30 Years of Hope: The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre of ARCHELON Celebrates World Sea Turtle Day

    Every year on June 16th, we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about these magnificent creatures and the threats they face. This year is particularly important for ARCHELON, as the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre marks 30 years of operation.

    Read more
  4. OUR NEWS
    13/06/2024

    Poster contest for children and young adults: Welcome the 2024 turtle hatchlings on the beaches!

    Watercolors, markers, collage, computer, phone? Everything is useful. Use your creativity and imagination to make an A3 or A4 size poster announcing that the 2024 sea turtle eggs are about to hatch.

    Read more
  5. OUR NEWS
    17/05/2024

    Amvrakikos Project 2024: Special Call for a Field Leader

    ARCHELON is looking for a highly motivated person to lead its project in Amvrakikos Gulf, one of the few foraging sites for loggerhead turtles in Greece linking several populations nesting across the Mediterranean region.

    Read more
  6. OUR NEWS
    16/05/2024

    Τhe nesting of loggerhead sea turtles started earlier this year and the effects of the climate crisis on the oceans are worrying

    For the first time, in the 40 years of ARCHELON records, the first sea turtle nest was found in Laganas Gulf, Zakythos on May 10th. Scientific predictions of the nesting season moving earlier in the spring due to climate change are being confirmed.

    Read more
  7. OUR NEWS
    14/05/2024

    Save Turtles, See Greece on a Budget

    Dreaming of pristine Greek beaches and a chance to make a real difference? Here's why June and September are the perfect months to volunteer with sea turtle conservation efforts in Greece!

    Read more
  8. OUR NEWS
    02/05/2024

    Sea Turtle Festival for Kids 2024

    Save the date! On Saturday 18 May at 11:00, the ARCHELON Rescue Centre opens its doors to welcome young and old sea turtle friends who want to celebrate, explore, learn, play and travel magically in the Mediterranean Sea. We are waiting for you to strengthen our message for a better and sustainable planet!

    Read more
  9. OUR NEWS
    02/05/2024

    A successful year for the International Sea Turtle Symposium

    The International Sea Turtle Symposium concluded triumphantly this March in Pattaya, Thailand, with ARCHELON actively participating.

    Read more
  10. OUR NEWS
    29/04/2024

    A Morning Beach Patrol with ARCHELON

    The camera lens of Stefanos and Maria of SteMajourneys caught a rare sight in the early morning: a Loggerhead sea turtle nesting! The volunteers in Chania took action right away to protect the nest.

    Read more
  11. OUR NEWS
    26/04/2024

    Protecting sea turtles in Rethymno- Our Ocean, an Ocean of Potential

    The 9th International Conference "Our Ocean", which was held in Athens from April 15 to 17, was successfully completed. ARCHELON had the honor to actively take part in the conference and hosted a side event.

    Read more
  12. OUR NEWS
    12/04/2024

    Coordination for the protection of sea turtles in Rethymno: Local authorities and tourism businesses join forces

    The meeting, which took place on April 5, 2024, in the building of the Regional Unit of Rethymno, touched upon key issues, such as the observance of conservation measures for the protection of the Loggerhead sea turtle. Given the tourist activity on the nesting beaches, the active participation of the tourism sector in the implementation of the measures is necessary.

    Read more
  13. OUR NEWS
    10/04/2024

    "Tourists and turtles?" The environmental awareness campaign of ARCHELON spreads to the nesting beaches of the Loggerhead sea turtle

    After the pandemic, ARCHELON - the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece - is once again mobilizing on the path to sustainable tourism. The aim of the new campaign is to provide information on the appropriate code of conduct for visitors to all nesting beaches, in cooperation with the tourism sector.

    Read more
  14. OUR NEWS
    04/04/2024

    LIFE MareNatura - The largest marine biodiversity program in Greece

    Read more
  15. OUR NEWS
    03/04/2024

    Citizens inform us of sea turtle strandings

    ARCHELON started the effort to record the incidents of dead turtles washing up on the Greek shores in 1992. In recent years there has been an increase in these records which may be due to more of our fellow citizens reporting such incidents. Learn more…

    Read more
1 out of 0
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Learn about our latest actions and find out about our programs and how you can help sea turtles!