The first hatchlings in Crete... headed for the lights

Despite the shading device which ARCHELON volunteers had made to protect this particular nest, the hatchlings were disoriented by the bright lights and could not find the path to the sea.
The volunteers located ten of the hatchlings on the grounds of the apartment complex and managed to rescue them by guiding them to the sea. The other seven, unfortunately, could not be found, which means that they had wandered quite far off, a fact which foretells their inevitable death from dehydration and exhaustion.

In short, the birth of these first baby sea turtles in Chania, besides marking the formal start of this yearʼs hatching period for the protected species Caretta caretta, also provides a reason for protesting against the phenomenon of light pollution on sea turtle nesting beaches on Crete.
R.S.
(Translation by Joanne Stournara)
Divers to Arsidaʼs rescue!
Rescue of young, injured turtle in Chania: Cooperative effort of ARCHELON and the ISKA group
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