Which is the way to the sea?
Think of tiny baby turtles, each about 4,6 cm long and weighing 20 grams, which have just hatched from their nest and become fatally attracted by artificial light. They arrived on the surface at night, or at dawn, after about two months of incubation and a few days of struggling to reach the nest’s surface. They should be guided by the reflection of the stars and the moon on the water or the reflection of the breaking dawn, to their destination – the sea.
Loggerhead hatchlings start their journey at night or early morning, in order to run across the beach while the sand is in comfortable temperature conditions. In the dark, they can also go unnoticed from their bird predators.
Unfortunately, in some beaches, a significant number of them miss out the direction to the sea led by stronger lights from the roads, restaurants, bars or hotels. Instead of the sea waves, they meet the asphalt where they die under the wheels of cars, or they fall down into the drain grates or trenches. They may also get entangled in bushes behind the beach. As they try to find their way to the sea in vain, they lose vital time and energy. Being exposed to the bright sun, they will die of dehydration in a few hours.
Artificial lights located behind the nesting beaches leads to the disorientation of hatchlings.
To mitigate this problem, ARCHELON volunteers take action a few days before the hatching of a nest starts. They create shading with natural material, usually old and new beach mats, so that artificial light shine less on the nest. The shading creates a pathway leading to the sea, so that hatchlings will reach the sea safely. More than half of the nests on Rethymno, Chania, Messara, Lakonikos and Koroni are protected by ARCHELON with shading from artificial lights during the hatching season. You can read more about the protection of nests and its results in 2020 in this link.
Why are we doing this? On the beach, hatchlings must escape natural predators like birds and foxes to make it to the sea. Once in the water, hatchlings are consumed by seabirds and fish. Few survive to adulthood, with estimates ranging from one in 1,000 to one in 10,000.
It is well established that tourism and development, if left unmanaged/ unregulated, have a negative impact on sea turtle nesting beaches. There would be less hatchlings entering the sea each year, and the chances of having adult sea turtles in 15-20 years would be reduced.
It is also well established that plastic marine litter affect the health of sea turtles and that adult turtles are often victims of accidental capture and death in fishing gear. This is why loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) are considered by IUCN as globally Vulnerable and their subpopulation in the Mediterranean is considered as Conservation Dependent.
ARCHELON, a non-profit environmental NGO has been protecting sea turtle nests and raising public awareness on sea turtle conservation in Greece since 1984.
More information is provided near the main nesting beaches of loggerheads in Greece: You can find ARCHELON volunteers in the following areas:
Zakynthos
Information Kiosk on Somolou Square (next to Foskolos cinema, info table at Crystal Beach and turtle spotting boats NEFIS & TUI
Kyparissia bay
Information Kiosk in Kalo Nero
Lakonikos bay
Information Kiosk on Mavrovouni beach in front Ocean Pub & Camping Meltemi
Koroni
Information Kiosk in front of town hall
Rethymno
Information Kiosk at Venetian Port
Chania
Information Kiosk at Old Town Port (opposite the KAM Center of Mediterranean Architecture)
Messara bay
Information Kiosk at entrance of Matala
Visit our webpage: www.archelon.gr
Volunteers help save sea turtles through European Solidarity Corps
Great luck to meet “Ella”, the beautiful fairy, again in Kalo Nero, Kyparissia bay
RECENT NEWS
- 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 NEWS10/04/2024
"Tourists and turtles?" The environmental awareness campaign of ARCHELON spreads to the nesting beaches of the Loggerhead sea turtle
After the pandemic, ARCHELON - the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece - is once again mobilizing on the path to sustainable tourism. The aim of the new campaign is to provide information on the appropriate code of conduct for visitors to all nesting beaches, in cooperation with the tourism sector.
- OUR NEWS04/04/2024
LIFE MareNatura - The largest marine biodiversity program in Greece
- OUR NEWS03/04/2024
Citizens inform us of sea turtle strandings
ARCHELON started the effort to record the incidents of dead turtles washing up on the Greek shores in 1992. In recent years there has been an increase in these records which may be due to more of our fellow citizens reporting such incidents. Learn more…
- OUR NEWS19/03/2024
Contributing to international developments on sea turtle research and conservation
In the past, members of ARCHELON were actively involved in the elaboration of the Global Strategy for the Conservation of Marine Turtles, published in 1995, and nowadays three of our collaborators participate in the writing of the revised guidebook “Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles”.
- OUR NEWS08/03/2024
The Over & Above Awards for 2023
These are the ARCHELON Over & Above Awards for 2023.
- OUR NEWS04/03/2024
The moving experience of Frederique at the Rescue Centre
At ARCHELON, you'll have the opportunity to meet and work together with new people and form lasting friendships - a major benefit of volunteering.
- OUR NEWS29/02/2024
Presentation of ARCHELON 2023 Results: Here is some good news!
On Thursday February 15th, 2024, ARCHELON’s annual Presentation of Results took place downtown, at the Impact Hub Athens. When welcoming members, staff, collaborators, friends and volunteers, Daphne Mavrogiorgos, Director of ARCHELON, spoke about the multi-leveled action of ARCHELON during 2023.
- OUR NEWS02/02/2024
Sea turtles in the Greek wetlands of international importance
World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on February 2. These vulnerable areas of the planet are a refuge for migratory birds and other wildlife species, including sea turtles. ARCHELON is present in wetlands that play an important role for sea turtles, such as the Amvrakikos Gulf.
- OUR NEWS24/01/2024
Why are ARCHELON’s projects international?
ARCHELON’s sea turtle conservation projects are organized with the valuable contribution of volunteers who come to Greece every year not just from Europe but from more distant places such as South Korea, Australia, and Colombia. Speaking English while carrying out fieldwork or public awareness activities as well as when interacting with each other in the campsites is essential to the projects.
- OUR NEWS17/01/2024
ARCHELON has been running a special hospital for sea turtles with tanks and impressive old train wagons for 30 years in Glyfada
Turtles with IV and bandages, rehabilitation and recovery tanks, special environmental enrichment equipment, recovery greenhouses, and… renovated train wagons! The hospital for injured and sick turtles that ARCHELON has set up in the 3rd marina of Glyfada, next to the sea, is certainly something out of the ordinary.
- OUR NEWS05/01/2024
What happened in the world of ARCHELON in 2023?
A world record for reproductive life for a sea turtle and 40 years of ARCHELON’s actions for protecting sea turtles are some of the moments we celebrated together this year. So, what happened in the world of ARCHELON in 2023? Here are some highlights of the past year.
- OUR NEWS21/12/2023
Assuming responsibility for the environment brings more meaning into our lives
“ARCHELON is an opportunity, not only for the animals and the ecosystems, but also for us who participate in it and for the society in which we operate”. Thomas Arapis, President and founding member of ARCHELON, talks about the efforts of the organization and about what he aspires for the future.