14/06/2019

TRIBUTE TO THE WORLD SEA TURTLE DAY. TURTLES AND HUMANS- CAN WE ALL LIVE TOGETHER?

This special day, the 16th of June, is dedicated to all sea turtle conservation projects, be it protection of nesting beaches or rescue and rehabilitation in the world! It is exactly on these sites that we see the print of another kind of relationship of society and nature.

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The battle for the survival of “Chris, the Fish” was lost in ARCHELON’s Rescue only a few days ago. She was found on Milos island in December 2018. She carried a wound on the head from a deliberate attack by humans. The wound had caused serious infections in the plastron. “We used every means that was available to us, and more of 150 hours of intensive care, still the battle was lost for another tiny piece of the puzzle of the Earth, one of those which make it an amazing and beautiful planet” said a dedicated volunteer of the Center.

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Fish in our seas will not become more abundant if sea turtles go extinct. On the contrary, sea turtles contribute to the good condition of sea grass meadows, where many fish spawn. Sea turtles are a component of the marine ecosystem.

Amongst the countries of the European Union, Greece is the country with the highest number of small fishing vessels (less than 12m long, except for trawlers). Their number rises to 14,538 and they comprise 94% of the Greek fishing fleet. Overfishing in our seas does not allow many species to reach their reproduction size. The first step in saving marine life is to find out about the fish on our table, how and where they were caught.

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Another World Sea Turtle Day issue for us, in ARCHELON, is the potential impact of the announced trials for hydrocarbon extraction close to all sea turtle nesting sites in Greece. Now it is appropriate that people share their opinion on this matter as well as on moving towards alternative energy sources.

Sea turtles have been swimming in the waters of our blue planet for 110 million years. We can see them depicted on ancient Greek coins, such as the stater of Aegina.They were a symbol of wellbeing and longevity. The continuation of this co-existence is in our hands.

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ARCHELON is very happy to announce that loggerhead sea turtles have made their appearance in laying eggs on Greek beaches. The first nest was made on Zakynthos on 25/5, then the Peloponnese followed with Kotychi on 30/5, Kyparissia on 1/6 and Lakonikos gulf on 9/6. The firs nest of Crete was found on Rethymno beach on 1/6 and Chania followed on 6/6.

ARCHELON’s research teams are by the nesting beaches to support the protection of the nests. Local authorities and the Agencies for the management of protected areas are well informed about the existing regulations. Beach cleanings have been organized in all nesting beaches.

It seems as humans and sea turtles can live together.

RECENT NEWS

  1. OUR NEWS
    15/09/2023

    Lilo, the tiny green turtle, made it back to the sea!

    In November 2021 a small green turtle arrived at the ARCHELON Rescue Centre with a very serious head injury. After almost two years of intensive care, one Wednesday in September 2023 he was finally discharged and returned to the sea!

    Read more
  2. OUR NEWS
    17/08/2023

    World record of 37 years of reproductive life for a loggerhead sea turtle in Zakynthos, Greece – increased number of nests this summer, says ARCHELON

    ARCHELON – the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece announces an important outcome of the systematic work of this year's sea turtle nest monitoring team in Zakynthos. Based on their long-term observations, ARCHELON managed to certify a new World Record of reproductive activity for loggerhead turtles.

    Read more
  3. OUR NEWS
    07/08/2023

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

    The Municipality of Eastern Mani and the Port Authorities requested the assistance of ARCHELON to inform beach users in the area of Limeni, near Mani, where 35 new incidents of sea turtle attacks on sea bathers have been recorded during this summer season. These are added to the already long list of 200 such records of previous years found in the nearby Health Center in Areopolis.

    Read more
  4. OUR NEWS
    01/08/2023

    Interview with a volunteer: Lea Heinen, Rescue Centre

    Interview with a volunteer: Lea Heinen, Rescue Centre Lea shares her experience volunteering at the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre: “I think when a turtle starts to eat after a month of trying, when you can see the improvement or healing of a turtle's injury and when a turtle is released back into the sea, into its natural habitat, into its home - then you know that you are indeed saving turtles”.

    Read more
  5. OUR NEWS
    21/07/2023

    Kids Beach Competition 2023: Make your own little sea turtle with natural materials and send us a photo!

    Help us spread the message about the protection of sea turtles by making your own baby turtles with natural materials you will find on the beach. Sand, stones, pebbles, shells, seaweed, sticks and whatever else you have available, can be transformed with a little imagination! Take a photo of your work and send it to the ARCHELON Beach Competition.

    Read more
  6. OUR NEWS
    18/07/2023

    Paving the way for next steps in conservation of marine turtles in the Mediterranean region

    Last week the partner organizations of the project “Conservation of Marine Turtles in the Mediterranean Region” met for the 9th Steering Committee Meeting. The meeting was organized by SPA/RAC in the area of Kyparissia Bay, Greece on the 4th and 5th of July, 2023 in collaboration with ARCHELON.

    Read more
  7. OUR NEWS
    04/07/2023

    An offer to EXPERIENCED volunteers: You can now join the beach projects for 2-3 weeks!

    The time is just right to join the projects again, even if you have only 2 or 3 weeks of available time. This offer is valid for August, September, October 2023. Apply through our new website and find out more about the dates and places you can join. More…

    Read more
  8. OUR NEWS
    22/06/2023

    The nesting season has begun! Learn what you can do if you find sea turtle tracks or nests on the beach

    The nesting season for the loggerhead sea turtles has begun. The nests that are made in the areas monitored by ARCHELON and other collaborating groups are already being recorded. However, if you find tracks or nests on other beaches, you can also participate in the effort to record and protect these sporadic nests. Find out why it's important…

    Read more
  9. OUR NEWS
    16/06/2023

    A breath away from registering a new world record on the years of known active reproduction of a loggerhead sea turtle is ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece

    This is the year when ARCHELON, a nonprofit environmental NGO, is celebrating 40 years of continuous and targeted action to save sea turtles in Greece and the Mediterranean. At the same time, the project teams of ARCHELON are ready to register the longest period of active reproduction known for the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), in case it happens this year!

    Read more
  10. OUR NEWS
    15/06/2023

    A Saturday unlike any other - Turtle Festival 2023

    ARCHELON invites kids and adults to celebrate the environment and the sea in an exciting way at the "Sea Turtle Festival" on Saturday, May 27 at the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in the 3rd Marina of Glyfada.

    Read more
  11. OUR NEWS
    07/06/2023

    Announcement for all past volunteers of ARCHELON: Shall we meet this September?

    Highlight: Hi everyone! This year marks 40 years of ARCHELON’s action for protecting sea turtles in Greece. During these four decades, thousands of volunteers from many countries joined our sea turtle projects and the Rescue Centre to help save the turtles. Let’s meet again this coming September and celebrate the animals we saved during all these years.

    Read more
  12. OUR NEWS
    07/04/2023

    Waiting list for schools that want to visit the ARCHELON Rescue Centre

    Thousands of Greek students visit the Centre and get informed about the value of protecting the environment through contact with a particularly beloved animal, the sea turtle. "All the available visiting hours until the end of the 2022-2023 school year have been booked, but there is a waiting list that is activated in case of cancellations", says Anna Kontoleon, ARCHELON’s Education Officer. More hours for online tours may be added in May if volunteers become available.

    Read more
  13. OUR NEWS
    28/03/2023

    People are supporting wildlife conservation

    The donations and "adoptions" made at the Rescue Centre in Glyfada, Attica and at ARCHELON’s field projects in Zakynthos, the Peloponnese and Crete in 2022, reached the amount of €350,000. We did a lot last year thanks to all these people, who also made it possible for us to continue this year.

    Read more
  14. OUR NEWS
    24/03/2023

    Gail Schofield

    We learned with deep sadness the passing away of Gail Schofield, a pronounced sea turtle researcher and former ARCHELON volunteer. Read more…

    Read more
  15. OUR NEWS
    20/03/2023

    More than half of the rehabilitated sea turtles got released back to the sea in 2022!

    The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre of ARCHELON in Glyfada rescues, takes care of and rehabilitates injured sea turtles from all parts of Greece since 1994. More than half of the sea turtles that were under care at the Rescue Centre in 2022 got released back to the sea after reaching full recovery this year! Read more…

    Read more
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