Turtle in Sougia beach

Vittorakis Sougia Taxi & Minivan Services

Last night, through photos posted by a friend on Facebook, a turtle was found, which trusted the hospitable east side of Sougia beach, apparently to lay her eggs. This area was immediately restricted and temporarily marked to protect the eggs.

Greece hosts the largest number of sea turtle nests in the entire Mediterranean. Especially hosts the most important species, the Caretta Caretta. One of the most important areas for their survival is our island, Crete.

Turtles in Crete

The beaches of Messara, Rethymnon and Chania are part of the Human Ecological Network Natura 2000 in Greece. The codes which are corresponding are GR4310004, GR4330004 and GR4340003 as they host the spawning of sea turtles.

In Greece the species of sea turtle Caretta (Caretta Caretta) is strictly protected by Greek law. There are 2 organizations that are active for the sea turtle doing an excellent and commendable work.

Sea Turtle Caretta

The size of a Caretta sea turtle can reach up to 100 cm, or rarely up to 120 cm. It usually weighs 100-150 kg but in exceptional cases can exceed 450 kg.

It can live from 45 – 65 years. For food it has mainly jellyfish, mollusks, crustaceans and rarely algae. Sea turtles can easily die by swallowing plastic bags thrown into the sea as they think they are jellyfish.

So it would be good to avoid throwing garbage in the seas and beaches. Otherwise if we still find some, collect them carefully using personal protective equipment and throw them in the trash.

Spawning process of sea turtles

The female Caretta sea turtle approaches the coast of Crete every 2-4 years, from May to September only to give birth.

If it finds a sandy beach without lights, it goes out in the dark and lays 20-200 eggs while burying them in the sand.

After about 2 months that the turtles will hatch, they head to the sea and stay there for many years.

Then the adult female turtles return to the same beach and in turn lay their eggs.

Archelon

ARCHELON is a Greek organization whose work begins in 1990. With the assistance from Greece’s volunteers and others around the world with programs for registration, information and protection of sea turtles.

The work of ARCHELON does not stop at these activities only. The data they collect are used as indicators for the evolution of the sea situation and the turtle population in Greece and the Mediterranean.

A major obstacle to the completion of the life cycle of turtles is the fact of degradation and destruction of the beaches where they are born.

This makes them incapable of reproduction as they only give birth on the same beach.

For this reason in the areas where the turtle is found:

The use of lighting and speakers is prohibited
Driving is prohibited
We avoid night wanderings
If we find a nest we inform ARCHELON
Mark the area temporarily so that no one approaches and the eggs break. ARCHELON will then place metal cages above the nest.
We participate as volunteers in ARCHELON to support its work

A new life cycle of Mediterranean sea turtles begins with the nests that are probably starting to make on the beach of Sougia.

In order to protect this special visitor, we must all together, permanent residents, businessmen and visitors of Sougia, contribute to this purpose, each in his own way.