STORIES OF TURTLE NIGHT MADNESS
My first night survey of this season was on Gerakas beach, in Zakynthos. It is beach that is surrounded by low cliffs and there is fifty meter wooden ramp that leads down to the beach. Tom Backof and I had tracked a turtle to the back of the beach. She hadnʼt attempted to nest yet so we decided to leave her alone. We do this because the turtle is very sensitive in that phase. After 15 minutes, Tom went crawling off to find her. I saw him returning immediately “Kostas, you ʼve got to see this”, he told me. The turtle was sliding down the wooden ramp! We both assumed that the turtle must have climbed at least 25 meters up! Of course, the turtle realized that this was not an appropriate place for her to nest and she returned to the sea. A turtle returning to the sea without nesting is something that happens quite often and she will try again and again until she finds the right spot.
Another night, again at Gerakas beach, me and another volunteer Faye Karavasili spotted a turtle track that went very far at the end of the beach. “I am going to check the turtle to see what she is doing”, I said to Faye and I started crawling. I crawled to the back of the beach, where the vegetation started but I still couldnʼt spot the turtle. Nevertheless I could hear some strange noises coming from behind a bush. Going a little bit closer where the sand slopes were steeper I saw something that surprised me. The turtle was on top of the bush. She then moved on, fell from the bush, flipped over once and slid down the slope! “I saw these tracks in the morning but I couldnʼt explain them”, Jack Suss, morning survey leader the following morning said to me. All the other volunteers were astonished when I told them the story, as it had never happened to them before. And these incidents happened during only two nights, some would wonder how many strange things must have happened during these thousands of years that the sea turtles have been coming to Zakynthos to nest.
When a sea turtle lays her last eggs, the next thing she does is to cover the egg chamber and then camouflage her tracks. More specifically she flicks dry sand behind her, with her strong front flippers. One night, I was behind a turtle that had finished nesting and she was covering her eggs. I was checking her carapace for injuries and then the turtle started camouflaging by throwing sand directly into my eye, totally blinding me! Discussing with the other volunteers I found out that the same thing had happened to them as well. Dobro Debska, one volunteer, was telling me that she was so excited while she was watching the turtle that she had her mouth open and as a result the sand from the camouflage went into her mouth! The following nights I decided to be more careful when the turtle is in that phase. It wouldnʼt be too much to say that watching this ancient creatureʼs effort to reproduce is the closest I have ever been to nature! At the same time you learn to respect the animal and more generally the nature and that provides you with extra motivation to volunteer for its survival
Kostas Papafitsoros ARCHELON volunteer the three last years in Zakynthos, maybe the best in his life so far
THE ADVENTURE OF “ELPIDA” PROVIDES HOPE
XELONOPAREA SUMMER CAMP: AN UNFORGETTABLE MEMORY
RECENT NEWS
- 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
After a 12-hour period filled with fear and uncertainty, the family witnessed a miracle of nature. “It brought us peace and reminded us of what is important”.
- OUR NEWS14/08/2025
ARCHELON’s Life-Saving Chain with the Support of the Green Fund
Thanks to persistence, medication, daily care, and a great deal of patience, “Snowball” gradually moved from a critical state to full recovery.
- OUR NEWS31/07/2025
ATTENTION! Please do not feed sea turtles – They are not pets- Protect them from human induced impacts
ARCHELON informs that the phenomenon of feeding sea turtles by people in coastal areas, ports and tourist spots has been observed in recent years. Despite good intentions, this practice causes serious problems – for turtles and for people alike.
- 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
- OUR NEWS01/07/2025
Satellite Tagging Completed and Captured on Film in Crete
ARCHELON has just successfully completed the 2025 deployment of satellite transmitters on Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) in Crete, as part of the ongoing LIFE MareNatura Project. This year’s work in Crete was extra special: the LIFE MareNatura Documentary team joined us in the field!
- OUR NEWS23/06/2025
Enjoy the Beaches Responsibly: Together We Protect the Sea Turtles of Kyparissia Bay!
So far, more than 2,000 nests have been recorded in the area. In order to best manage the protected beaches, we have adapted our field work protocols.
- OUR NEWS16/06/2025
World Sea Turtle Day: We can all live together!
Today, June 16th, we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day. On this occasion, ARCHELON expresses its warmest thanks to all citizens, volunteers, donors and supporters who actively contribute to our work.