Why are ARCHELON’s projects international?
For 40 years now ARCHELON has been protecting and monitoring the reproduction and feeding grounds of sea turtles in Greece. This could not have been achieved without the irreplaceable contribution of the 500 volunteers who come from all over the world and take part in the 8 sea turtle conservation protection projects at the nesting beaches.
Below is a chart that shows the different nationalities of the volunteers who took part in ARCHELON’s projects during the years 2020 to 2023. The largest percentage of volunteers were from France (35.9%), United Kingdom (20.9%), Germany (11.5%) and Greece (10.7%). But it is not just the nationalities with the most participation numbers that matter. Our joy is even greater when we welcome volunteers from other destinations, often far away. "Other" nationalities in the chart include the countries of Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, Colombia, Costa Rica, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland and Portugal.
But why are the projects of ARCHELON International? The answer to that is simple: marine turtles are species that migrate to their wintering, feeding, and nesting habitats across national jurisdictions and international waters. The threats they face include overfishing, plastic pollution, climate change, and loss of nesting habitat to coastal tourism development, which are all related to pressures mostly beyond national borders.
Inviting people from all over the world to join the projects helps demonstrate that the turtles nesting in Greece are a part of the global and Mediterranean natural heritage. “As the sea turtle nesting beaches are under pressure from tourism development, it is important to influence hotel owners and local communities in favor of the turtles. Volunteers not only record and protect the nests, but they also help inform and engage tourists, who influence the local economies.”, says Aliki Panagopoulou, the Research Coordinator of ARCHELON.
A simple, but necessary, rule for all the ARCHELON's Field Stations is that everyone must communicate in English. “The most important requirement for volunteers who would like to join the ARCHELON projects is to know and speak English at all times. By doing this, everyone can work together on the project, talk to tourists in the kiosks, make presentations in hotels, and, most importantly, no one feels left out” says the Volunteers officer, Fryni Papanikolaou.
Speaking in a different language than your native, even with people from your own country, helps you to get out of your comfort zone and think things from a different perspective. “It's common for volunteers to be shy and hesitant to speak English in the beginning. But already within a couple of days, volunteers see a huge improvement in their ability to speak English and a boost in their confidence”, adds Fryni. Needless to say, native English speakers usually help to bring together the whole team of a project.
Speaking English while carrying out fieldwork or public awareness activities and interacting with each other in the campsites is essential to the projects. So, if you plan to come to the sea turtle conservation projects for the nesting season of 2024, brush off your English- if you’re not a native speaker- and make sure you are ready to be part of an international ARCHELON team!
Check our volunteering projects here Have you ever wondered what is happening in one of ARCHELON’s sea turtle protection projects? Get a taste by watching our short film
Sea turtles in the Greek wetlands of international importance
ARCHELON has been running a special hospital for sea turtles with tanks and impressive old train wagons for 30 years in Glyfada
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS26/06/2024
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".
- OUR NEWS17/06/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS16/06/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS13/06/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS17/05/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS16/05/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS14/05/2024
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!
- OUR NEWS02/05/2024
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!
- OUR NEWS02/05/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS29/04/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS26/04/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS12/04/2024
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.
- OUR NEWS10/04/2024
"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.
- OUR NEWS04/04/2024
LIFE MareNatura - The largest marine biodiversity program in Greece
- OUR NEWS03/04/2024
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…