The first Caretta caretta nest in the Kyparissiakos Gulf was made early this year!
The first Caretta caretta nest for 2018 in the southern Kyparissia Gulf habitat was spotted by ARCHELON volunteers in the early hours on Sunday May 13th, near Vounaki. Nesting started a few days earlier this year, compared to previous years, with the turtles returning every year to the beach they hatched from many years ago.
The sourthern Kyparissia Gulf habitat, with its natural sand dunes, is home to a staggering number of Caretta caretta nests annually, the second highest in Greece and the Mediterranean through the years. This unique coastal ecosystem continues in the northern part of the Gulf and in the wetlands of Kotychi and Strofylia forest.
ARCHELON has been systematically active in the southern Kyparissiakos region since 1984, collecting scientific data on nesting and protecting the nests and the Caretta caretta hatchlings. Our cooperation with the Kotychi, Strofylia and Kyparissiakos Gulf Wetland Management Agency has already begun, aiming towards sustainable development and the protection of nature.
Apart from the pleasant feeling it created, the first nest in the Kyparissiakos Gulf has also created the need for increased attention at the nesting beach and behind it. Visitors, and businessmen that work in the area, should remember that the presence of heavy duty and/or wheeled vehicles on nesting beaches, the use of plastic bags and the lighting of fires in the forest and on the beach can have devastating consequences on coastal ecosystems as a whole, and specifically on sea turtles.
Information:
Kotychi, Strofylia and Kyparissiakos Gulf Wetland Management Agency, Vasiliki Orfanou, Biologist FD, tel: 2693031939 ARCELON, Sevasti Kapota, West Peloponnese Program Coordinator, tel: 6932285817
( translation: Danai Kyriaki)
Vast number of illegal interventions lead to degradation of natural environment in the Marine National Park of Zakynthos - negligence from the authorities
ARCHELON, and Letʼs do it Greece participates in Glyfadaʼs beach cleaning
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS10/09/2026
Sea turtles kept in a restaurant tank in Chania: True love for nature begins with respect.
We all feel a sense of excitement when we encounter a wild animal up close. It is only natural to want to connect with nature, observe it and understand it better.
- OUR NEWS09/09/2026
Schools are back at ARCHELON! A new year full of learning and action
The new school year is beginning, and with it, the voices, questions, and excitement of thousands of students return to ARCHELON’s Sea Turtle Rescue Centre.
- OUR NEWS06/09/2026
Sea Turtle Hatchlings Captivated All Ages in Corfu
- OUR NEWS01/09/2026
Taking time off work to volunteer for the sea turtles in Greece: Amy’s month with ARCHELON in southern Peloponnese
When Amy Carey was 10 years old, she came face to face with a sea turtle while on holiday in Greece. Decades later, at 47, she decided it was time to turn that childhood memory into reality.
- OUR NEWS13/08/2026
Hatchlings need help in September and October: Special volunteer offer for 2 weeks!
In order to protect the nests and the last hatchlings of this year, we need the help of more volunteers!
- OUR NEWS10/08/2026
One beach party canceled, 66 nests saved in Chania!
A significant victory for the protection of sea turtles in Chania, thanks to the direct cooperation of ARCHELON and NECCA.
- OUR NEWS07/08/2026
Sea turtles of the Saronic Gulf: Why feeding them is not an act of love
The Municipality of Saronikos and ARCHELON are campaigning for the safe and proper coexistence of bathers and wildlife.
- OUR NEWS05/08/2026
Greek fishermen release rare Leatherback Turtle in the North Aegean!
In mid-July, we received a video of an impressive sea turtle that had been caught in the nets of a fishing boat.
- OUR NEWS30/07/2026
Join our Sea Turtle Nest Excavations in Peloponnese and Crete
ARCHELON invites you to a unique experience of environmental education and scientific observation!
- OUR NEWS20/07/2026
43 Years of Tagging Sea Turtles in Greece Reveal Their Journeys in the Mediterranean
A new scientific publication highlights the important marine areas turtles use in the Mediterranean, through ARCHELON’s tagging program in Zakynthos, Kyparissia Bay and Rethymno.
- OUR NEWS17/07/2026
The first hatchlings of 2026 in Zakynthos!
The first nest hatched on Dafni beach in Laganas Bay in Zakynthos. Our team discovered the tiny tracks in the early hours of Tuesday, July 14th.
- OUR NEWS15/07/2026
A rare giant of the Greek seas: What our new study reveals about the Leatherback turtle
A new scientific publication brings together for the first time all available records of the Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) in Greek waters.
- OUR NEWS10/07/2026
Raising awareness for the sea turtles in Corfu
To mark the launch of the project, ARCHELON carried out a series of outreach activities across Corfu, bringing local communities and visitors closer to sea turtle conservation.
- OUR NEWS08/07/2026
Protecting loggerhead sea turtles contributes to maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems.
Sea turtles play a vital role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. As part of marine food webs, they contribute to the balance and functioning of coastal and marine habitats.
- OUR NEWS05/07/2026
Is the Zakynthos National Marine Park Truly Protected?
Two cases of environmental law violations in Zakynthos that went unpunished.