Project Areas
Zakynthos island is situated
in the Ionian Sea off the west coast of mainland Greece.
The climate is warm with plenty of sunshine. The island
has an area of 406,000 ha and its coastline is approximately
110km long. However, only a small part of the coast is
sandy beach. In Zakynthos, loggerhead sea turtles nest
mainly on the beaches within the Bay of Laganas, which
is on the southern part of the island. ARCHELON's systematic
surveys have confirmed that the Bay of Laganas is the most
important nesting area for the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta
caretta) in the Mediterranean
Sea. This led to the establishment of the National Marine
Park of Zakynthos in 1999.
Historical background
to the legal protection of the nesting beaches of Zakynthos
and the marine zone of the Bay of Laganas.
Due to the importance of Zakynthos
as a reproduction area for the loggerhead sea turtle in the
Mediterranean, the state introduced measures for its protection
since 1984. The purpose of the legislation was to control
and regulate development while maintaining the quality of
the nesting beaches so that the sea turtles can continue
visiting Zakynthos for generations to come. The 1984 measures
were further strengthened in 1990 with the signing of a Presidential
Decree. Based on this legislation, in addition to specific
limitations relative to visitor numbers and the use of sunbeds
and umbrellas, the following are mentioned:
- Tourist developments are not permitted
behind nesting beaches and the building of residences
is strictly regulated
- Artificial lighting is not permitted to
affect nesting beaches
- Vehicle use is not allowed on the beach
In 1988, by Ministerial Rule
two marine zones were established. These occupy a large proportion
of Laganas Bay. Within zone A, no boats or fishing activity
are allowed. Accordingly, in zone B the speed limit is 6
knots, while anchoring is not allowed. Fish farms are prohibited
in both zones. In 1994, after sustained effort by ARCHELON
and other environmental organizations a third zone was established,
zone C, in which anchoring is allowed but the speed limit
of 6 knots applies. Consequently, speed boats were almost
completely prohibited from the Bay of Laganas. These marine
zones are marked with buoys in order to be visible to boat
users.
In 1994, night flights were
also prohibited into and out of Zakynthos airport, as the
airway for landing and take off passes over the beach of
East Laganas. The lights and noise of the aircraft disturbs
nesting turtles.
Unfortunately, legislation
was poorly enforced, allowing illegal umbrellas and sunbeds
to occupy vital nesting grounds or illegal buildings (tavernas
and holiday homes) to sprout on Daphni. The legislation did
succeed though in halting large hotel development on certain
beaches. Marathonissi islet was not touristically developed
thanks to concerted reaction by conservationists, local communities
and the local Church.
The long-standing struggle
of ARCHELON and other NGOs, eventually urged the Greek government
to proceed with the establishment of the National Marine
Park of Zakynthos (NMPZ) in December 1999. This is the first
National Park to protect the loggerhead sea turtle in the
Mediterranean Sea. It was the first protected area in Greece
with a designated Management Agency. ARCHELON, WWF-Greece,
and Mom are members of the Management Board of the Park's
Agency.
Nesting Beaches
There are six nesting beaches
in the Bay of Laganas, with a total length of 5.5km. These
are Marathonissi, East Laganas, Kalamaki, Sekania, Daphni,
and Gerakas. Every year, from the beginning of May until
mid-August, loggerhead females lay their eggs on these beaches.
On average, 1,200 nests are laid every year.
The uninhabited islet
of Marathonissi is in the west of the Bay of Laganas. It
has a small, 370m long beach made of pale thick sand on
its north-west end. There are sand dunes on the back of
the beach, which at some locations reach more than 50m
inland. The steep hill behind the beach is covered by Mediterranean
vegetation. The remains of an old monastery, belonging
to the Church of Lithakia, is the only building on this
islet. Tourists visit the beach
during the day, on organised boat trips and by rented or
private boats. Lights and noise from the residential areas
of Laganas and Lithakia affect the beach during the night.
Organized tours are allowed between 7:00am to 7:00pm from
the 1st of
May to the 31st of
October. Visitors are only allowed to remain on the first
5m from the sea, as sea turtle nests are located on the
back of the beach.
Marathonissi
While most beaches within
the Bay of Laganas mainly produce female hatchlings, the
small beach on Marathonissi, with a mere length of 370
metres, produces mainly male sea turtles. This is caused
by the slightly lower temperature of the beach sand on
Marathonissi. The sex of sea turtle hatchlings is determined
by the average temperature of the eggs during incubation.
If the incubation temperature is above 29oC,
the hatchlings will be females, while if it is below 29oC,
they will be male. Indeed the pale colour of the sand on
Marathonissi strongly reflects solar radiation, causing
slightly lower sand temperature at the egg clutch depth.
So while the beach of Marathonissi only receives 9% of
the nests in Zakynthos, the fact they exclusively produce
male turtles raises it to a crucial reproductive habitat
for the survival of the Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtles.
East Laganas beach
stretches eastwards from the last hotel of the developed
part of Laganas (Louis Zante Beach Hotel), up to the Rock
of Hipsolithos. East Laganas is characterised by fine sand
mixed with small-sized pebbles and a landward extensive
dune field. Visitors are allowed on the beach between 7:00am
and 7:00pm from the 1st of
May to the 31st of
October.
East
Laganas
The beach of Kalamaki,
with a length of 500m, is the eastward extension of the
East Laganas beach, separated from it by the cliffs of
Hipsolithos. Behind the beach there are low clay cliffs.
A hotel has been constructed above the western part of
the beach. The area has an easy access and it is visited
by many people during the day. Visitors are allowed between
7:00am and 7:00pm from the 1st of
May to the 31st of
October. Visitors are only allowed to remain within a 5m
distance from the sea, as sea turtle nests are located
on the back of the beach.
Kalamaki
According to legislation only
150 umbrellas and 300 sunbeds are allowed on the nesting
beaches of E. Laganas and Kalamaki. These are to be removed
every night. Despite this progress in legislation, problems
with sunbeds and umbrellas still exist.
Sekania beach
(650m) is the one that stands out for its natural beauty
and the highest nesting density for loggerheads in the
Mediterranean. Sekania supports well over 50% of the total
number of nests made in the whole Bay. Due to its importance,
ARCHELON has been urging the Government to expropriate
or buy the private land behind the beach, in order to declare
it a site of absolute protection. Finally in 1994, WWF
Greece, following recommendations by ARCHELON, purchased
a large part of the land behind the nesting beach. This
was achieved with partial funding from the European Union
and the support of the Greek Ministry of Environment. According
to existing legislation public access is prohibited.
Sekania
Daphni stands
out as the beach with the most problems. All 15 illegal
buildings constructed behind the beach of Daphni have not
been removed. Following recommendations by the Council
of Europe, the removal of illegal buildings at Daphni has
been an obligation of the Greek Government since 1986,
when only two prefabricated buildings existed. Unfortunately,
nothing has been done so far towards this end on behalf
of the state. Illegal embankments, street laying, planting
of exotic species, and corrosion of the beach have destroyed
the beach profile on many locations. Since 2006, the Management
Agency of the Park came into agreement with the owners
and imposed measures on the operation of the buildings
and the beach management. Visitors are allowed from 7:00am
to 7:00pm from the 1st of
May to the 31st of
October and must not exceed 100 at any one time. Visitors
are only allowed within the first 5m from the sea, as sea
turtle nests are located on the back of the beach.
Daphni
Gerakas is a 15-30m wide
beach, with fine and soft sand, and a length of 600m. The
beach is backed by clay cliffs which shield off the lights
of the two tavernas and the few houses that have been recently
built further inland. A paved road comes very close to
the beach and vehicles are parked there. There is only
one access to the beach by a trail coming down through
the cliffs. Due to its fair access,
Gerakas attracts hundreds of visitors every day during
the summer season. According to legislation only 60 umbrellas
and 120 sunbeds are allowed at the western end of Gerakas,
and the number of visitors on the beach at any one time
should not exceed 350. Visitors are allowed from 7:00am
to 7:00pm between the 1st of
May and the 31st of
October. They have to remain within the first 5m from the
sea, as sea turtle nests are located on the back of the
beach.
Gerakas
Turtle Spotting
in the sea
Zakynthos has the privilege to host a very
large number of sea turtles in the Bay of Laganas every summer.
They migrate thousands of kilometres to reproduce within
the bay. Turtle spotting by beach visitors and tour boats
is a compatible ecotourism activity with positive prospectives,
as it empowers public awareness about sea turtles and therefore
their protection, as long as this experience takes place
under certain conditions that primarily respect the sea turtles.
On every encounter with a sea turtle in the
water, it is very important to seek the least possible disturbance
of the animal (as in every other wildlife encounter). This
can be achieved when turtle spotting fulfils at least some
basic standards that guarantee the calmness of the sea turtle,
such as:
- doesn't exceed 10-15 minutes near the same
turtle,
- holds a distance of 10-15 metres from the
animal,
- avoids crowding near it (by beach users
or boats, with no more than two boats at any one time)
and the observers remain calm (e.g. Low-voiced conversation),
- observations are made at a low speed in
order not to disturb the animal (no more than two knots),
- any physical contact with the animal is
avoided,
- the animal is not approached from the front
(and the boat does not pass over it)
- the observers move away on the first indication
that the animal is disturbed (e.g. Sudden change of direction,
acceleration, sudden diving while basking, often emergences
to breathe)
- observations are made during the day (and
not during the night).
 However, sea turtle observation
activities carried out in the Bay of Laganas do not always
follow the above basic rules of sustainable observation,
nor do they follow the regulations for this special area
(e.g. the speed limit of 6 knots to avoid collision with
a sea turtle), often placing the turtles in danger.
All visitors
of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos should be fully
informed about the existing regulations to ensure the
well-being of this important sea turtle population concentrated
in the Bay of Laganas. Because these regulations have
been set to ensure the coexistence of humans and sea
turtles to the benefit of both.
The work of ARCHELON in Zakynthos
ARCHELON has a branch office on Zakynthos to
promote, on an annual basis, its objectives for the conservation
of marine turtles and their habitat. Every year, since 1983,
extensive field work is carried out by ARCHELON during the
nesting season, and since 2000 this is done in cooperation
with the Parks' Management Agency. The fieldwork consists
of turtle and beach monitoring, active beach management,
and raising public awareness. The 150 volunteers that participate
at ARCHELON's project assist the Park wardens, contribute
to public awareness of visitors, and operate Information
Stations.
The Information Stations are
operated seasonally since 1987 on Zakynthos, in cooperation
with the local authorities and, in recent years, the National
Marine Park of Zakynthos Management Agency. Every year, around
70,000 visitors are informed at the Information Stations,
at live presentations held at hotels and tour boats, as well
as on the nesting beaches where ARCHELON volunteers cooperate
with Park wardens which guard the nesting beaches and ensure
compliance to the regulations on a 24h basis. |
