Following the reports of swimmers getting bitten by turtles at Marathi, and the statement by Archelon representative Giorgos Vrabas which we reported in a previous post, the organisation has now put out a press release which elucidates the reasons for the turtles’ behaviour and gives advice on how such incidents can be avoided. The full text of the press release is as follows.

“Citizens and local authorities in the Chania area in Crete have contacted Archelon in relation to the attacks by sea turtles on swimmers which have been recorded this year at Marathi beach. These cases are added to a long list of similar cases in different areas of Greece, such as Limeni on the Mani peninsula. So what is happening in these areas?

“‘Sea turtles are not like the pets we have all become accustomed to. They live free in the seas, usually travelling long distances and rarely encountering humans,’ says Dimitris Fytilis, head of Archelon’s Sea Turtle Rescue Centre. ‘However, in areas where a sea turtle associates human presence with food, its behaviour changes. It treats swimmers as well as other turtles as competitors in its feeding area and tries to drive them away from there by biting.’

“So beware! A turtle can chase you in the sea in order to drive you away from its living space. Also, if it has been fed by humans at that point, it can approach and bite you. The cases of turtles attacking bathers are really isolated. In the few cases where such disagreeable events happen, there is one common denominator: people have been systematically feeding turtles in the area.

“That is what is happening at Marathi, where according to information received, remnants of marine organisms are regularly thrown into the sea for consumption by sea turtles which live there. However, throwing dead organisms and food remains into the sea constitutes pollution, it is subject to prosecution and constitutes a nuisance against protected species.

“The head of Archelon programmes in Crete Giorgos Vrabas stresses that ‘the only way of stopping the incidence of attacks is for humans to stop feeding the sea turtles, not only at Marathi but throughout Crete.’ Asked if removing the turtles would be effective, he said: ‘In principle the creatures in question register the areas where they get food and they can easily travel large distances at sea to return to them.’ Sea turtles travel across the oceans using the Earth’s magnetic field, recording a ‘magnetic signature’ for each location. Therefore removing them is not a solution. Disseminating knowledge and information about marine organisms can help to avoid these problems and ensure respect for nature and the planet’s ecosystems.

“Advice for bathers:
– don’t approach sea turtles – keep your distance
– avoid contact with sea turtles – there is risk of injury
– feeding a protected species with food which is not its natural diet constitutes harassment – don’t feed sea turtles.”
(https://archelon.gr)

The life cycle of the turtle
Caretta caretta is one of the most emblematic species in Mediterranean and Greek waters, and one of the seven species of sea turtle which exist on the planet. Sea turtles have been with us for more than 120 million years, surviving the mass extinction event which wiped out three quarters of the plant and animal species on Earth 66 million years ago. Their critical importance for the equilibrium of the planet’s ecosystem has repeatedly been emphasised.

The nesting season begins annually in May and ends in October with the exodus of the hatchlings towards the sea. Unfortunately, from the beginning their journey in life encounters many enemies, including human activities on beaches and in the sea. Only one in a thousand hatchlings will survive until maturity. And the female survivors will return to the beach where they were born after 25-30 years, to lay their own eggs in their turn.

Teams of volunteers and local residents daily check, protect, keep night watches for and inform the public about the sea turtles, which have become an attraction for both locals and foreign visitors. Some guidelines given by the sea turtle protection organisations are as follows:

– When you find turtle nests, don’t dig them up and don’t move the identifying signs, the protective cages and the special walkways erected by volunteers to guide the hatchlings into the sea.
– Don’t erect umbrellas, sunbeds or other beach furniture very close to nests and don’t light fires at night.
– If you see wheeled vehicles on a nesting beach, immediately call the local Coastguard.
– The hatchlings usually emerge during the night and early morning. They are guided towards the sea by starlight, and it is important that there is no lighting which can disorientate them, so that they end up on the road or in the backyards of houses instead of the sea.
– If you see hatchlings, do not touch them or carry them to the sea, it is absolutely essential for their survival that they reach the sea by their own efforts.
– If you find hatchlings which have become disorientated, don’t pick them up and place them directly in the sea, as they may drown. Just clear a path so that they can reach the water’s edge unhindered.

Sea turtles, their nests and hatchlings are protected by Greek law and international agreements.
(The Chania Animal Protection Society/Haniotika Nea, 05/07/24)

Archelon beach walks
As part of its conservation efforts, Archelon is running familiarisation walks on beaches in Chania and Rethymnon in Crete, and in areas of the Peloponnese, which are among the most important nesting beaches for the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta. Archelon has been monitoring these beaches for 40 years, recording and protecting the nests and the newly hatched baby turtles.

The aim of the tours is to inform the public about the nesting beaches and the correct forms of interaction between humans and turtles. During the tours, Archelon says:
– You will acquire knowledge about the Caretta sea turtle, the species and its habitat.
– You will become acquainted with the threats faced by the Caretta turtle and the importance of protecting it.
– You will be informed about Archelon’s efforts to protect sea turtles and their habitats.
– You will receive valuable information about how you can contribute to the sea turtles’ protection.

The tours are available by prior reservation for groups of 1 to 8 people and include the symbolic adoption of a baby turtle. The cost is €30 per head, while children under 4 go free. The tours have a set itinerary and timetable, and last 30 to 45 minutes. They are available at the beaches in Chania and Rethymnon, and in the Peloponnese at Mavrovouni in the Gulf of Lakonia, Zaga-Memi in the Gulf of Messinia and Aggianaki on Kyparissia Bay. Further information and booking links can be found at: https://archelon.gr/en/support-us/beach-walk.