Zakynthos, Greece: Greece has reported an unprecedented surge in nests of the Caretta caretta, or loggerhead sea turtle, along on the sandy shores of Sekania Beach in Zakynthos, Greece, marking a significant milestone for marine conservation efforts.
Local environmental organizations have documented over 7,000 nests this season, with key nesting sites on the islands of Zakynthos and Crete leading the way.
Charikleia Minotou is the Project Leader of the Sekania Project, an initiative dedicated to the conservation of the loggerhead sea turtle. Under her leadership, the Project focuses on protecting nesting sites, monitoring turtle populations, and promoting awareness about the threats these vulnerable creatures are facing.
Minotou said that, “The message sea turtles are sending is very clear. and that is the measures we have taken over the past 25 years to ensure conditions are right for the marine turtles to nest here are working … It’s fantastic.”
One of the oldest living species, sea turtles have been around for more than 100 million years. Despite their extensive migrations, crossing thousands of miles across seas and oceans throughout their lives, female turtles consistently return as mature adults typically after 20 to 25 years to the same habitat where they were born to lay their eggs. This reproductive cycle occurs with remarkable synchronicity.
In Sekania and other nesting sites across Zakynthos and Greece, turtles that were tagged by conservationists at birth a quarter-century ago are now returning to nest.
Minotou added that, “This year more than 1,200 nests have been recorded in Sekania, which is one every 50cm of beach. An amazing number.”
In Greece, which accounts for 60% of Caretta caretta nests, the recovery has been remarkable. The average number of nests has increased from 5,000 to 7,000 annually to over 10,000 recorded each year, according to Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece.
Greek authorities seemed unaware of the challenges faced by a species whose survival is now acknowledged as essential for marine ecosystems and the ecological biodiversity of the region.
Minotou has dedicated years to urging successive Greek governments to implement policies to safeguard Caretta caretta from the emerging dangers posed by tourism and other hazards, such as speedboat propellers, beach furniture, and human activities within marine turtle habitats, according to conservationists.
However, campaigners caution against negligence. New threats such as the climate crisis, overfishing, pollution, and the increasing prevalence of discarded plastics pose significant risks. They often argue that officials reference the recent improvements as a reason to avoid taking further action in countries like Greece, where tourism is a key economic driver.