Crete tourist guide

The first Caretta caretta turtle nests this year

2022-06-12 18:45:04

Ms Lidia Koutrouditsou, head of the local branch of the Archelon organization, informed that the first Caretta caretta turtle nests this year were located in Crete. In an interview with the website, neakriti also emphasized that this year the turtle breeding season began very late. This shift is most likely related to the rather cold winter this year. Usually the first turtle nests are found by workers and volunteers around the second half of May.

A special metal cage marks the Caretta caretta turtle nest

The first turtle's nest was discovered a few days ago on a beach in Rethymno. On the same day, Archelon volunteers noticed two more nests on one of the beaches in the Messara Valley area. Ms Lidia Koutrouditsou also said that "the first data collected looks good, but of course it is too early to judge how the whole season will go".

Read on to find out more about the activities of Archelon.

Archelon in Crete

As the turtles begin to lay their eggs, the coast is patrolled by volunteers from the Archelon organization, which actively supports the protection of these animals. Every day at 5 am, the volunteers go to those beaches where turtles have been known to have made their nests there so far. Volunteers check whether, under the cover of night, there are no new traces of turtles at night in the sand. It is thanks to this systematic work that we learn about the newly established nests. Archelon started its activity on the beaches of Crete in 1990, i.e. 7 years after the organization was founded.

Each such newly discovered nest is described in detail by the volunteers and marked in a very visible way that facilitates their monitoring. In addition, tourists and residents are also warned that they should take special precautions while staying in their area. Unfortunately, human activity poses an additional threat to the development of turtles. The dynamic development of tourism on the Greek islands, which are the most popular breeding area, causes a systematic decrease in the number of Caretta caretta nests. Umbrellas driven on the beaches, a large number of sunbeds, artificial lights after dark, noise, driving on beaches and litter left by tourists, cause slow dying out of turtles. Even ordinary plastic bags floating in the sea are associated with turtles with jellyfish as their delicacy, which is a deadly danger for them. The employees of the Archelon organization remind that with the beginning of the breeding season of turtles, special safe conditions should be created for them.

Recommendations during the breeding season

In fact, turtles do not impose particularly high requirements and in the breeding season it is enough to follow a few recommendations of Archelon.

• One of them is that in the period from May to October, cleaning the beaches is done only by hand, without the use of heavy equipment that destroys the nests.
• From the beginning of the breeding season, the location of beach umbrellas should not be changed, and if they require repair, they must be stuck in the sand in exactly the same places. This avoids situations in which the sockets are damaged, which were not recognized by Archelon.
• Showers should not be installed in the immediate vicinity of turtle eggs. Additionally, sunbeds should not be flushed with water on the beach just outside it. Excess water may cause the nest to get wet and the eggs to rot.
• Objects that provide permanent shade on the beach should also not be installed.
• After sunset, beach equipment such as deckchairs and tables should be folded to provide as much space for the turtles as possible.
• Wooden platforms on sand should not be used on these beaches.
• After dark, such beaches should be free from the presence of large numbers of people, and also without excessive artificial lighting and noise emitted by loudspeakers.
• Turtles encountered by accident should not be fed or touched.
• If we find traces of turtles or chicks on the beach, they should not be buried. Thanks to the footprints, the Archelon research team can make a daily count.

More information about the Caretta caretta turtles and the Archelon organization can be found on our website: Caretta caretta turtles in Crete

Piotrek,  2022-06-12 18:45:04

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