Haris, the sea turtle which had become Chania’s mascot, keeping company with fishermen and passers-by in the Old Harbour, has been found dead.

“We’ve lost a friend…” the fishermen told reporters, having recognised photographs of the dead turtle. They are sure that it is Haris, who for some 15 years visited the Old Harbour every year from May to October. The feeding of Haris every morning and afternoon was a favourite subject for snapshots and videos by visitors to the harbour. The turtle had become so accustomed to the fishermen that he would eat kalamaria and fish from their hands and would often swim alongside them at their work. Many times they had to disentangle him from ropes and nets.

The Kopasis brothers, who run the Vasiliko restaurant on the quay next to the Neoria and have their own fishing boat, said that Haris had probably died after being hit by a propeller or getting caught in a net. There is a smaller turtle in the harbour, but it has not become sufficiently tame to come to the surface and take food.

A video of Haris being fed outside the Vasiliko restaurant can be seen here.
(Haniotika Nea, 29/07/23)