According to the information contained in the annual ARCHELON Crete report, 446 nests were located and protected during the 2018 nesting season in the three main nesting habitats of this protected species, namely the beaches of Rethymno, Chania and Messara bay.

This short report, submitted to the European Commission, presents the main events in the efforts to protect the nesting habitats of Loggerhead Sea Turtles in the island of Crete, Greece during 2018 (bays of Rethymno GR4330004, Chania GR4340003 & GR4340006, Messara GR4310004 & GR4310012), which are designated as NATURA 2000 areas.

It has started three days ago and it expected to last another 2-3 days. It is the mass nesting of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Costa Rica.

Is it possible to release a sea turtle entangled in longlines without hurting it and tearing the nets too much? Yes, according to the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR), with the use of "the cutter"; their innovative telescopic tool, which was developed in collaboration with ARCHELON for this purpose. With this tool one can help without hurting the animal and without damaging extensively the nets. The testing of the cutter is one of the activities of the Life Euroturtles project, a collaboration between 6 Mediterranean countries of the EU.

Last week marked the 35th anniversary of the foundation of ARCHELON. We were planning to celebrate this a bit later, but suddenly the actual date was reminded by some of the newest members. The first wishes appeared, followed by an explosion of messages and posts and a colorful cloud of wishes from friends and members. Happy birthday ARCHELON!

This short report, submitted to the European Commission, the Standing Committee of Bern Convention and the ministry of Environment and Energy presents the main events in the efforts to protect the nesting habitats of Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Laganas Bay, Zakynthos.
 

Conservation efforts during 2018 at the nesting habitat of Caretta caretta in southern Kyparissia Bay (Natura 2000 - GR2550005 “Thines Kyparissias”)

In a recently published review about sea turtles in the Mediterranean, it was acknowledged that significant gaps still exist on several topics, especially for certain areas (e.g. south-eastern Mediterranean). These gaps are particularly marked for the green turtle.

The first tracks of hatchlings have already appeared on the nesting beaches of Kyparissiakos, Rethymno, Chania, Gytheio, Zakynthos and it seems most of them were successful in reaching the sea.

The Management Agency of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos and ARCHELON- The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece are excited to announce that the first hatched nest for this year was found on Sunday, 15 July 2018 in Sekania beach.

During the sunrise of Saturday, 14th July, volunteers of ARCHELON recorded over than twenty traces of tiny Caretta caretta hatchlings having found their way to the sea in the Laconian Gulf of Selinitsa beach.

The hatching period for loggerhead nests on Crete made a start from Rethymno this year. ARCHELON’s volunteers found the first tracks of hatchlings successfully entering the sea, in the beach of Adelianos Kampos last Saturday.

Traces of the very first hatchlings, which left their nests, were found during the sunrise of Saturday, July 14th, by the volunteers of ARCHELON. However, their enthusiasm didn’t last long, they were caught by surprise and disheartening feelings, because their traces didn’t lead to the sea line, but followed the opposite direction, due to the topical superficial lights!

ARCHELON informs us of everything we need to know before we board on a sea turtle watching boat trip, in order to avoid disturbing the animals in this area.

She was found hit on the head with a heavy tool, by beach visitors in Gialova beach, near the historic bay of Navarino in Peloponnese, Greece, mid-June this year.