08/03/2024

The Over & Above Awards for 2023

On February 15 and March 5, the live and online Presentation of the ARCHELON 2023 Results were organized respectively. At the end of both events, the names of the people who surpassed themselves and gave significant help to the Association were announced. These are the ARCHELON Over & Above Awards for 2023.

The ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in Glyfada welcomes cases of injured or sick turtles from all over the country. Panos Diamantis and Isabelle Marguerite were the "drivers" of the Rescue Network during 2023 helping significantly in transporting injured animals from the airport, port or bus stations to the Rescue Centre, even during midnight emergencies!

When the turtles arrive at the Rescue Centre the race to save them begins. At the same time, however, the Rescue Centre also functions as an information hub for visitors with the aim of raising public awareness. Nektarios Kosteletos, Fanis Michalakis, Vassilis Xenikakis, Mara Loizou and Emilia Diamantaki were the people who particularly supported the public awareness program at the Rescue Centre, touring visitors from all over the world. Furthermore, Xenia Balta significantly supported both rehabilitation and public awareness actions. Every day the Rescue Centre welcomes school students as well, in order to spread the message of wildlife protection to the new generation. Elizabeth Machaira was trained and hepled run the Environmental Education program at the Rescue Centre.

3 photos of ARCHELON volunteers

During the summer months, ARCHELON is present at the most important nesting beaches of the Loggerhead sea turtle in Greece. Volunteers from all over the world camp at the ARCHELON Research Stations in Zakynthos, Peloponnese and Crete and are trained in recording and protecting the nests. In the summer of 2023, the work on the beaches was especially intensive since a nesting record was set with a total of approximately 10,500 nests recorded throughout Greece!

In the monitoring project for the reproduction of sea turtles in Zakynthos, the Field Leaders who undertook the organization and training of the other volunteers during this demanding year stood out. They were Vincent Tarrit, Tanya Narshi, Sarah Bala, Sarah Crosse, Tobias Juul Jakobsen, Anita Szymanska, Lucie Fauchard, Marcia Abreu and Zuzanna Gewont. Konstantinos Vythoulkas, responsible for the space that hosts the volunteers on the island, also made important contributions to the Zakynthos project, always willing to help with everyday needs.

Accordingly, the Field Leaders of the ARCHELON projects in Crete, Sam Finlayson, Audrey Busa, David de Haan, Mathew Leveridge, Lizzie Borows-West, Melina Milidaki, Vasilina Vradeli, Lucy Grosjean, Gracie Rowe, Thomas Chazalnoel, Irene Pulido and Amelie Weiler, were also awarded. A special mention also goes to Vangelis Archontakis from the Tourism Department of the Municipality of Rethymno who helped to promote the informative ARCHELON Sea Turtle Beach Walk program on the beach of Rethymno. Some permanent residents of Crete actively participate in the conservation projects as well. Sean and Helen Johnstone assisted for another year at the start and completion of the Chania project, while Ciara O'Sullivan and Simon Wakefield helped significantly with the Messara Bay project as local volunteers.

In the Peloponnese Projects, Field Leaders Sarah Kelliher, Leonie Marzecki, Judith Hoste, Rachel Forster, Sam Brown, Judith Glaser, Laura Suppan, Noha Ratouit, Aris Tsiroglou, Daphne Nikisanli were awarded. In 2023, over 7,000 nests were recorded in the Peloponnese projects with their help! This intense nest numbers is why the volunteers Matheo Merle, Enora Bourgeois, Aurelie Chaput, Elisa d'Allibert, Lucan Naudin, Elain Friob, Antonin Gillot, Sophie Laderriere, Antony Couffrant, Martin Vanham and Justine Masselot rolled up their sleeves and took on more responsibilities than their duties. We thank them very much!

2 photos of ARCHELON volunteers

Richard Child, Mathilde Jahan and Michael Kroneder were distinguished for their contribution to the Lakonikos project, as well as Mark Boyd for the Koroni project. Finally, our long-term volunteer Merlin Potter-Adams also stood out for his help, both in the morning and night shifts, as well as in the training of volunteers and staff in the Kyparissia project.

"These awards are a nominal thank you for those who went the extra mile", said Thomas Arapis, President of ARCHELON during the ceremony. "However, we are grateful to all the volunteers, friends and members who helped in all the projects and actions of ARCHELON for the protection of nature and the environment." The main slogan of ARCHELON is "We can live together". For all those who love life in nature and share our vision for a harmonious coexistence between man and wildlife, there are the conservation projects of 2024. Volunteer applications are open. See more and apply here!

RECENT NEWS

  1. OUR NEWS
    26/06/2024

    Sea Turtles Surprise us: if you see tracks on the beach, help ARCHELON's research!

    Not all beaches on Greece's extensive coastline are suitable for sea turtle nesting, but sometimes these marine reptiles surprise us! This summer, ARCHELON is asking for your help to investigate a phenomenon called "sporadic nesting".

    Read more
  2. OUR NEWS
    17/06/2024

    ATTENTION! Sea turtles are not pets: Do not touch them or feed them!

    In areas where a sea turtle associates human presence with food, it’s behavior changes. The turtle treats humans as well as other turtles as competitors in its feeding grounds and tries to drive them away with bites.

    Read more
  3. OUR NEWS
    16/06/2024

    30 Years of Hope: The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre of ARCHELON Celebrates World Sea Turtle Day

    Every year on June 16th, we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about these magnificent creatures and the threats they face. This year is particularly important for ARCHELON, as the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre marks 30 years of operation.

    Read more
  4. OUR NEWS
    13/06/2024

    Poster contest for children and young adults: Welcome the 2024 turtle hatchlings on the beaches!

    Watercolors, markers, collage, computer, phone? Everything is useful. Use your creativity and imagination to make an A3 or A4 size poster announcing that the 2024 sea turtle eggs are about to hatch.

    Read more
  5. OUR NEWS
    17/05/2024

    Amvrakikos Project 2024: Special Call for a Field Leader

    ARCHELON is looking for a highly motivated person to lead its project in Amvrakikos Gulf, one of the few foraging sites for loggerhead turtles in Greece linking several populations nesting across the Mediterranean region.

    Read more
  6. OUR NEWS
    16/05/2024

    Τhe nesting of loggerhead sea turtles started earlier this year and the effects of the climate crisis on the oceans are worrying

    For the first time, in the 40 years of ARCHELON records, the first sea turtle nest was found in Laganas Gulf, Zakythos on May 10th. Scientific predictions of the nesting season moving earlier in the spring due to climate change are being confirmed.

    Read more
  7. OUR NEWS
    14/05/2024

    Save Turtles, See Greece on a Budget

    Dreaming of pristine Greek beaches and a chance to make a real difference? Here's why June and September are the perfect months to volunteer with sea turtle conservation efforts in Greece!

    Read more
  8. OUR NEWS
    02/05/2024

    Sea Turtle Festival for Kids 2024

    Save the date! On Saturday 18 May at 11:00, the ARCHELON Rescue Centre opens its doors to welcome young and old sea turtle friends who want to celebrate, explore, learn, play and travel magically in the Mediterranean Sea. We are waiting for you to strengthen our message for a better and sustainable planet!

    Read more
  9. OUR NEWS
    02/05/2024

    A successful year for the International Sea Turtle Symposium

    The International Sea Turtle Symposium concluded triumphantly this March in Pattaya, Thailand, with ARCHELON actively participating.

    Read more
  10. OUR NEWS
    29/04/2024

    A Morning Beach Patrol with ARCHELON

    The camera lens of Stefanos and Maria of SteMajourneys caught a rare sight in the early morning: a Loggerhead sea turtle nesting! The volunteers in Chania took action right away to protect the nest.

    Read more
  11. OUR NEWS
    26/04/2024

    Protecting sea turtles in Rethymno- Our Ocean, an Ocean of Potential

    The 9th International Conference "Our Ocean", which was held in Athens from April 15 to 17, was successfully completed. ARCHELON had the honor to actively take part in the conference and hosted a side event.

    Read more
  12. OUR NEWS
    12/04/2024

    Coordination for the protection of sea turtles in Rethymno: Local authorities and tourism businesses join forces

    The meeting, which took place on April 5, 2024, in the building of the Regional Unit of Rethymno, touched upon key issues, such as the observance of conservation measures for the protection of the Loggerhead sea turtle. Given the tourist activity on the nesting beaches, the active participation of the tourism sector in the implementation of the measures is necessary.

    Read more
  13. OUR NEWS
    10/04/2024

    "Tourists and turtles?" The environmental awareness campaign of ARCHELON spreads to the nesting beaches of the Loggerhead sea turtle

    After the pandemic, ARCHELON - the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece - is once again mobilizing on the path to sustainable tourism. The aim of the new campaign is to provide information on the appropriate code of conduct for visitors to all nesting beaches, in cooperation with the tourism sector.

    Read more
  14. OUR NEWS
    04/04/2024

    LIFE MareNatura - The largest marine biodiversity program in Greece

    Read more
  15. OUR NEWS
    03/04/2024

    Citizens inform us of sea turtle strandings

    ARCHELON started the effort to record the incidents of dead turtles washing up on the Greek shores in 1992. In recent years there has been an increase in these records which may be due to more of our fellow citizens reporting such incidents. Learn more…

    Read more
1 out of 0
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Learn about our latest actions and find out about our programs and how you can help sea turtles!