Sea Turtles Return to Crete: A Shared Victory for Nature and Sustainable Travel
The loggerhead nesting season has “officially’ begun onnon-profitwell-known Crete, with sea turtle nests occurrence confirmed in all three of ARCHELON’s project areas: Rethymno, Messara, and Chania. These first nests mark the start to a challenging season where the commitment of beach users and hotel owners to protecting the loggerhead sea turtles will be put to the test.
The return of the adult female turtles to lay their eggs on these unique beaches of Crete is a reminder of the island’s ecological importance and the delicate balance between natural preservation and tourism. Through a growing network of volunteers, researchers, local businesses, and international partners, ARCHELON, a well known, non profit environmental NGO, is not only safeguarding the nesting sites but also building awareness about the role each of us plays in preserving them.
One of the main initiatives supporting ARCHELON’s work on the beaches of northern Crete in 2025 is the TUI Turtle Aid Greece project, carried out in collaboration with the TUI Care Foundation. This partnership reflects a coordinated approach to destination management, bringing together conservation teams, hotel staff, local communities, and tourists to help protect the beaches where sea turtles nest. By involving everyone, the project promotes shared responsibility and shows how different groups can successfully work together to care for a destination.
With nests already recorded and protected, the work now continues on the monitoring beaches, informing the public, and helping hatchlings safely reach the sea in the months ahead. Every protected nest is a small triumph, and together, they represent a broader success: a model of tourism that respects and protects the natural world.
Learn more about the TUI Turtle Aid Project: https://archelon.gr/en/what-we-do/projects-and-collaborations
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RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS12/09/2025
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- OUR NEWS09/09/2025
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The magical world of sea turtles and the people who are taking care of them is waiting, offering you a unique experience and valuable knowledge.
- OUR NEWS05/09/2025
The first report of 2025 delivered from Romanos Beach, Messinia
From mid-May to early September 2025, the project recorded about 80 nests along the 2.7 km stretch of Romanos beach.
- OUR NEWS29/08/2025
Turtle Run in Chania: Lace up your running shoes and get ready!
September 7th, Chania: Join the event and support the protection of one of the most iconic marine species in the Mediterranean.
- OUR NEWS27/08/2025
Citizens Help us Map Sea Turtle Sporadic Nesting in the Ionian Sea
This study is particularly important as it highlights the power of citizen science. Public eyes on beaches, outreach through online platforms and new reporting tools are expanding our understanding of turtle nesting beyond the beaches we monitor.
- OUR NEWS20/08/2025
A nesting turtle brings hope amidst a night of fire
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- OUR NEWS14/08/2025
ARCHELON’s Life-Saving Chain with the Support of the Green Fund
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- OUR NEWS31/07/2025
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- OUR NEWS25/07/2025
New Info Station in Kyparissia Opens for LIFE MareNatura Project
Located at the beachfront of the town, the Info Station operates daily 18:30 - 21:00.
- OUR NEWS21/07/2025
Public Excavations of Sea Turtle Nests in Crete
The excavations are open for both kids and adults and take place on the nesting beaches of Rethymno, Chania, and the Messara Bay during the months of August and September.
- OUR NEWS21/07/2025
Public Excavations of Sea Turtle Nests in the Peloponnese
The excavations are open for both kids and adults and take place on the nesting beaches of Kyparissia Bay, Romanos, Koroni and Lakonikos Bay during the months of August and September.
- OUR NEWS16/07/2025
Earlier than ever before was the start of the 2025 Hatching Season of Loggerheads in Greece – The first hatchlings have reached the sea!
We are excited to announce the beginning of the 2025 sea turtle hatching season, with the earliest hatching event ever recorded since monitoring began in 1984.
- OUR NEWS15/07/2025
Important presentations at the 16th International Congress on the Zoogeography and Ecology of Greece and Adjacent Regions (ICZEGAR)
ARCHELON actively contributed to the Congress with three oral presentations, highlighting key aspects of its scientific and conservation work for sea turtles.
- OUR NEWS09/07/2025
Inspections in Zakynthos and Kyparissia by representatives of the Bern Convention
The experts were in Greece to monitor the implementation of the Recommendations adopted by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention to our country regarding the protection of the Loggerhead sea turtle and the ongoing threats faced by the species in its largest breeding habitats in the Mediterranean.
- OUR NEWS02/07/2025
Citizen Science: Recording of Sporadic Nesting of Sea turtles across the Aegean
For over four decades, many people have been reporting turtle sightings and tracks across the Greek coastline. Thanks to them, we have confirmed 577 unique nesting events outside our regularly monitored areas