While most turtles are in warmer waters, on Saturday 13th February we were notified from Samos about a wounded caretta.

The Coordinator of the Pan-Hellenic network rescue of ARCHELON, Pavlos Tsaros, contacted the port police and was informed that Mr Alekos Baxevanis, diver, found this wounded Caretta caretta in Pythagorio of Samos.

The turtle was transfered to the port authority and with the help of members of the organization “Archipelagos”, a box was constructed for its transfer.

Because there was no vessel departing for Piraeus, in a short time, the rescue coordinator contacted Mr. Aslanidis, from the cargo dept of “E. Venizelos” airport, who in the past has been of great help with the transfer of “Omiros” to Britain.

Mr. Aslanidis contacted OLYMPIC AIR which offered a free transfer of the wounded animal, from Samos to the airport "El. Venizelos”.

The turtle, which was named “Alekos” and has a curved shell of 65.5cm and weighs 37kg, was moved to the center of care and rescue of marine turtles of ARCHELON located at the 3rd marina of Glyfada.
He is wounded by involvement in fishing gear which have caused a very deep cut in one fin and have cut a piece from the other.

In most cases, these injuries are created by residues of fishing gear that unscrupulous people leave in the bottom of the sea when it stops being useful to them, converting it to rubbish area. These materials remain for many years in the bottom of the sea, being a continuous risk of for the marine fauna.
“Alekos” is now in the intensive care unit of the only Centre for the rescue and care of marine turtles in Greece and is receiving antibiotic treatment and serum along with the care of the veterinarian and the volunteers of ARCHELON.

The Marine Turtle Rescue Centre currently hosts 20 Caretta caretta turtles, which are released in their natural environment, as soon as they recover.

If someone wishes to visit the premises and see the process of treatment of these endangered wild animals, he can do so at the 3rd marina of Glyfada, on a Saturday or Sunday from 11 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon.(ThBP)

(Many thanks to our volunteer Eleni Kritikou, for the translation)