The first sea turtle nests hatched in Rethymno, Crete
ARCHELON together with the Municipality of Rethymno, are informing beach visitors what to do in case the encounter hatchlings on the each during the day. Water should not be poured over them, nor should they be transported to the sea, as it is crucial that hatchlings walk their way to the sea by themselves. Shading them and leveling the sand in front of them until they reach the sea are the only things humans should do at this point.
This is the time to ask that artificial lights near nesting beaches are turned off. The moment the first hatchlings start their long and tough journey is a milestone for our projects, the turning point for the efforts of ACHELON and our collaborating partners. To find their way to the sea hatchlings follow the reflections of the moon and the starts on the sea. Artificial lights disorient hatchlings and eventually causes their death on the land.
Everybody on the beaches is reminded that management measures must be continually enforced, as nesting continues taking place at the beach at the same time as the first nests are hatching. Beach furniture must be removed every night until mid-October. During the same period, the movement of heavy vehicles, leveling of sand, washing of beach furniture and night parties must be avoided on nesting beaches .
In case you are curious to see how a loggerhead nest looks like and maybe a few late hatchlings, stay tuned with us for the scheduled public nest excavation events. The program will be announced for each nesting site on Crete separately and will be shown weekly on the web pages of the respective municipalities and in ARCHELON’s official website. Information will also be available from the Information Kiosks of ARCHELON in the Venician harbor of Rethymno, the Old Harbour of Chania and at the entrance of Matala.
Information:
Rethymno Municipality**,** www . rethymno . gr
ARCHELON, www.archelon.gr Odysseas Paxinos, Crete Project Coordinator, tel.: 6937352379, archelon . crete @ archelon . com
Joanne, whatʼs new at the Rescue Center (May and June 2018)?
Satellite tags deployed in loggerhead turtles from southern Kyparissia Bay to study their inter-nesting and post-nesting movements!
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS26/06/2026
ARCHELON & TUI Turtle Aid Greece: 3 successful years in Crete
With the completion of the “TUI Turtle Aid Greece” project, ARCHELON presents impressive results in nest protection, the hotel employees training and raising awareness among 66,000 tourists.
- OUR NEWS22/06/2026
ARCHELON expresses its sorrow at the loss of Mona Khalil
- OUR NEWS19/06/2026
The world of marine megafauna: New Photo Exhibition at Agiannakis Environmental Station
The Exhibition is part of the LIFE MareNatura Project and is open to the public every Saturday 18:00 - 21:00.
- OUR NEWS16/06/2026
New data reveals that sea turtles follow much more complex migration strategies
World Sea Turtle Day is an opportunity to celebrate our achievements, but also to remember why we continue to research and protect these ancient ocean travellers.
- OUR NEWS16/06/2026
Coordinated action in Greece, Cyprus and Italy to protect sea turtles against the climate crisis
Today, June 16, the world celebrates World Sea Turtle Day. In the Mediterranean, this celebration comes at a critical turning point.
- OUR NEWS15/06/2026
Turtle Festival: Diving into Deep Waters at ARCHELON’s Sea Turtle Rescue Centre!
On the occasion of World Sea Turtle Day (June 16), last Saturday the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre opened its doors to the public for this year’s Turtle Festival, themed “Into Deep Waters.”
- OUR NEWS09/06/2026
Celebrating World Environment Day with Sea Turtles in Rethymno
Last Friday, ARCHELON's team in Rethymno took part in a special awareness-raising event, co-organized by the Municipality and the 2nd Experimental Primary School of Rethymno.
- OUR NEWS02/06/2026
Clean beaches, safe turtles: Our guide to responsible action
See some simple but crucial rules that must be followed for clean nesting beaches!
- OUR NEWS29/05/2026
Eight Hotels in northern Crete Receive “Turtle-Friendly” Certification from the TUI Care Foundation.
The eight hotel establishments in Northern Crete are among the first businesses worldwide to receive the new “Turtle-Friendly” certification from the TUI Care Foundation, developed in collaboration with ARCHELON. This distinction recognizes their commitment to protecting the nesting beaches of the loggerhead sea turtle and highlights the importance of cooperation between the tourism sector and nature conservation initiatives.
- OUR NEWS25/05/2026
Greek beaches stand out with 624 "Blue Flags"
On May 14th we met at Paleo Faliro for the official announcement of the 2026 awards of the International Blue Flag Program, organized by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature.
- OUR NEWS18/05/2026
The nesting season has started in Greece: The first sea turtle nests for 2026 are spotted!
The first nests of the loggerhead sea turtle for 2026 have been found in Kyparissia Bay and in Zakynthos.
- OUR NEWS07/05/2026
ARCHELON’s Sea Turtle Tours presented in a Japanese Seminar for Sustainable Tourism
ur Sea Turtle Tours recently featured as a highlight in the Sustainable Tourism International Talk Sessions, organized by the Japan Alliance of Responsible Travel Agencies.
- OUR NEWS04/05/2026
Kids Turtle Festival 2026 "In Deep Water"
The ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre opens its doors on World Turtle Day, June 13, and invites young and old to this year’s Kids Turtle Festival 2026 “In Deep Water”.
- OUR NEWS30/04/2026
Sea Turtle Beach Walk in Crete: A unique eco-tourism experience
The Sea Turtle Beach Walk is an organized activity that allows participants to get to know the natural environment of the sea turtle nesting site up close. Book your place now!
- OUR NEWS18/04/2026
How a sea turtle illuminated the unknown paths of the Aegean
Helen Jane was not just another dead sea turtle found on the Greek coastline. For ARCHELON researchers, she was a living beacon of information