Our News
Sporadic nests of sea turtles are important
03/09/2021
One of the special features of this summer is the great interest of the public for the sporadic nests of sea turtle that are made in different parts of the Greek coastline, from the south i.e. Rhodes, Sitia, Naxos, Paros to Corfu, Volos and Epanomi in the north of Greece. So what does sporadic sea turtle nesting mean?
The challenge of conservation in a top tourist destination and sustainable tourism
11/08/2021
The first generations of ARCHELON volunteers experienced how the nesting beaches in Zakynthos, Kyparissia, Lakonikos, Rethymno, Chania, Messara used to look like back in the 80’s and the 90’s. The volunteers of the years to follow, including the children of ARCHELON’s first volunteers, have heard the stories and have seen tourism evolving in these sites. But why is the future of tourism important for sea turtles?
Volunteers help save sea turtles through European Solidarity Corps
06/08/2021
The ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre near Athens, Greece, receives and treats injured or sick sea turtles all year around and releases them back to the sea when they are fully recovered. Experienced staff are running the Centre with the help of volunteers from all over the world. Three ESC volunteers share their experience with the sea turtles and the efforts to protect oceans and marine life.
Which is the way to the sea?
05/08/2021
Artificial lights on sea turtle nesting beaches or behind them cause hatchling disorientation and eventually their death. Read more on how ARCHELON helps mitigate this problem, what to do if you find an unprotected nest or hatchlings and where to find us this summer.
Our Accounts for 2020
Despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic, the core activities of ARCHELON were successfully completed. Travel restrictions and the need to comply with the measures against the spread of COVID19, had as a consequence the cancellation of thousands of educational visits / tours to the Rescue Center in Glyfada and the cancellation of participation for about 80% of volunteers from abroad in all projects.
At the ARCHELON Rescue Centre, we took care of 52 sea turtles, most of them loggerheads and a few green turtles. Fortunately the Centre managed to operate throughout the year, receiving injured or sick sea turtles.
This was the year of the loggerhead nesting! We recorded 7.600 nests on 73.8 km of nesting beaches that were surveyed daily in Zakynthos, Kyparissia bay, Crete and southern Peloponnese. Monitoring and protection of loggerhead nesting started with small teams of researchers/volunteers, which were later enforced with more people.
