Loggerhead sea turtles migrate long distances in the Mediterranean and scientific research has shown that, as soon as they reach adulthood, at the age of about 15-20, they return to the same beaches from where they began their life journey, to lay their eggs. Sadly, nowadays there are several factors that make it difficult for turtles to lay their eggs: mainly rubbish, artificial lights, umbrellas and sunbeds, night parties and even walls, bulldozers, cars, motorcycles, speedboats.

How can one help the turtles on the beaches? We asked Chara Papailiou, the Volunteer Officer and she told us that the ARCHELON volunteers clean the beaches from garbage washed out by the sea, they record and protect the nests. However, many of the people who live or vacation there do not know what to do so as not to disturb the turtles. "We need help to show them what can go wrong with the turtles on the nesting beaches and how the situation can be improved."

So here is the #turtle-challenge 4. "Hatchlings in danger" - Make a story about the protection of sea turtles on the beach where they are born.

Find out what bothers the turtles and endangers their nests on the nesting beach. Imagine one or two heroes, who for some reason will be on a beach. What could be the reason they are there? Will they encounter traces of a turtle, a protected nest, or hatchlings? What other people might they meet? Put an obstacle, a scandal, a reversal and its evolution. Specify the time, place and who sees the events in the story. We want your story to have a beginning, a middle and an end.

Work with your parents, siblings, group or a group at your school, if you like. Capture your story in a text of up to 1000 words, in English, in an electronic file or in manuscripts or drawings that you will scan or narrate it in a video that you will film with a mobile phone at home. Write a few words about you, name, age, where you live, etc.

Email your story to ARCHELON until February 14, 2022 (midnight) to education@archelon.gr with the indication #turtle-challenge4.

What will happen next: "We will read them carefully and evaluate them primarily on the basis of their originality, the action and the values ​​they bring forward and secondarily on the expression and narration that has been used," explains Anastasia Samartzi, the Education Officer.

The stories that will be distinguished will be published in the electronic media of ARCHELON and may be used in videos, movies or podcasts. If there is a possibility, we will invite the authors to an online or live tour by the volunteers on the beach and the Environmental Station Agiannakis of Messinia, around the end of May 2022!!

All participants will receive a surprise present from ARCHELON!

If you know nothing about sea turtles and the beaches that they lay their eggs, check out the links below. We will help you by posting announcements and short videos with the indication #turtle-challenge4 on our facebook and instagram pages.

Video- Kyparissiakos bay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9dDKBcsOWs&t=153s

Video -Zakynthos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yBT9aC_5ho

Read- Which is the way to the sea? https://www.archelon.gr/eng/ournews.php?mid=6&nid=1159

Info graphic - The 7 species of sea turtles and their threats https://www.archelon.gr/eng/ournews.php?mid=6&screen=1&nid=1148

Read –How to help https://www.archelon.gr/eng/help1.php?mid=1

Read – Sea turtle biology https://www.archelon.gr/eng/biology.php?mid=71&mid2=72

Find out about the ARCHELON project areas https://www.archelon.gr/eng/projects.php?mid=3

Contact: Anastasia Samartzi, Education Officer, email: education@archelon.gr, tel. +30 210 8982 600, daily 10.00-17.00