WORLD SEA TURTLE DAY
Today's World Sea Turtle Day finds all 40 tanks of ARCHELON in Glyfada occupied by injured and sick turtles earlier than has been observed in previous years. "We hope that no more injured turtles will arrive in the next few days. That is, at least until we release the first two, which have recovered, back to the sea," said Eirini Kasimati, the Rescue and Rehabilitation Officer.
What brings the turtles to the Rescue Center? Once again it is confirmed that the main reasons for their introduction correspond to the greatest threats facing the 7 species of sea turtles that live on the planet. The accidental capture of sea turtles in fishing gear along with ocean pollution and plastic result in the death of large numbers of turtles in all seas of the world, including the Mediterranean.
See all species of sea turtles and the main threats they are facing in the tribute «from World Ocean Day to World Sea Turtle Day» here.
Of the 40 turtles currently being treated at the Rescue Center, 19 have injuries to their flippers from entanglement in nets or have swallowed hooks and plastics. Moreover, 18 out of 40 bear head, eyes or shell injuries from deliberate hits, according to the data of Eirini.
See in detail the percentages in each category in the graph2.
However, the increased number of admissions up to June this year may not reflect an increase of human impacts on the marine environment. “We think it shows mainly a spontaneous response by more citizens, who hurried to collect the animals from the beach or the sea and arranged their transportation to the Rescue Center” said Dimitris Fytilis, the Rescue Center Officer. More than 1000 people contacted ARCHELON in 2020 in order to help injured turtles and nests or hatchlings, as well as to report dead turtles stranded on the shore. (You can see the numbers of admitted turtles in the last 5 years here).
Perhaps the hurdles of the pandemic have brought people closer to the suffering of wildlife, the environmental challenges and climate change. This thought strikes a note of optimism for the World Sea Turtle Day.
"Humans and turtles, we can all live together" is our motto. The Sea Turtle Rescue Center of ARCHELON has been operating since 1994. Through the story of each turtle and our scientific research, we demonstrate to thousands of students and other visitors the problems that humans create at sea and on the coasts and ways to deal with them.
This year the individual donations made so far and the personal support of the volunteers are not enough to keep the Centre running. We urgently need the support of the State and your help in order to continue the rescue and treatment of sea turtles and the educational activities for the environment.
You can make a donation or “adoption” of a sea turtle on the website of ARCHELON www.archelon.gr.
For more information contact:
Eirini Kasimati, Rescue & Rehabilitation Officer, Tel: 0030 6941 511 511, e-mail: rescue@archelon.gr.
Dimitris Fytilis, Rescue Centre Officer, Tel. 0030 210 8982 600, 0030 6944 929 622, e-mail: rc.officer@archelon.gr.
The loggerhead sea turtles are back to the beaches of Crete to nest
8th June – 16th June: from World Oceans Day to World Sea Turtle Day
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS15/09/2023
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!
- OUR NEWS17/08/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS07/08/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS01/08/2023
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”.
- OUR NEWS21/07/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS18/07/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS04/07/2023
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…
- OUR NEWS22/06/2023
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…
- OUR NEWS16/06/2023
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!
- OUR NEWS15/06/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS07/06/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS07/04/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS28/03/2023
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.
- OUR NEWS24/03/2023
Gail Schofield
We learned with deep sadness the passing away of Gail Schofield, a pronounced sea turtle researcher and former ARCHELON volunteer. Read more…
- OUR NEWS20/03/2023
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…