40 Years of ARCHELON
This year marks 40 years of ARCHELON’s actions protecting the sea turtles in Greece!
Learn more about our vision, mission and how it all started.
There is always something going on at ARCHELON
Find out about the events we organize and our latest actions as we vigorously continue the work of studying, rescuing and protecting sea turtles 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 Accounts for 2023
2023 passed by in a way that was both intense and difficult on the sea turtle nesting beaches in the Peloponnese, Zakynthos, Crete, and the Rescue Centre in Glyfada. We are grateful for the irreplaceable contribution of all 540 volunteers who came from afar and near to complete 40 years of sea turtle protection!
Volunteers at the loggerhead nesting beaches recorded and protected approximately 10,300 nests in a total of 70 km of nesting beach and talked with more than 70,740 people about sea turtle conservation.
The ARCHELON Rescue Centre in Glyfada continued to tirelessly rehabilitate injured and sick sea turtles throughout the year. There were 45 new arrivals, mostly loggerheads and one green turtle, while 22 recovered turtles returned to their natural habitat after getting fully recovered.
Environmental awareness activities with visitors and supporters at the Rescue Centre continued. Information about sea turtles was spread through the 241 live school visits from all across Attica and the 102 online tours even in the most remote regions of Greece.
The record number of nests required countless hours of work under the hot sun, and it was more crucial than ever that the nesting beaches' protection measures were followed. We are grateful for the support we received from old and new friends, donors, sponsors, collaborating organizations, and the hard work of our staff. By working together, we were able to help the sea turtles and play our part for a more sustainable planet!
The challenges for the marine environment will persist in 2024; however, the Mediterranean is our responsibility and united we are ready to defeat them.
Project areas
Discover all the active projects and visit us in your area.
Sea turtles in the Rescue Centre
The Sea Turtle Rescue Center has been operating since 1994 in Glyfada, Attica, next to the sea. It was founded by ARCHELON with the support of the Municipality of Glyfada and the Ministry of the Environment and is one of the first Sea Turtle Rescue Centers in the Mediterranean and the only one in Greece. Its purpose is the treatment and rehabilitation of injured and sick sea turtles and their release back to the sea. You can symbolically adopt one or more injured turtles at the Rescue Center, contributing to the costs of their care and feeding. And of course you can come and see them at the Rescue Centre, or you can be informed from our website about their progress and their release.