The mission to rescue Kefalonia's endangered sea turtles
17th Oct 2023 Animals & Pets
4 min read
In the Greek town of Argostoli, locals are fighting to protect the island's sea turtles, whose fate hangs in the balance because of climate change
Many people know the Greek island of Kefalonia as a holiday destination, but it is also an important nesting site for loggerhead turtles. In the main town of Argostoli, the turtles can be spotted from the sea front, feeding in the harbour.
Like most wildlife, they are threatened by human activity, but there are people working hard to protect them.
Why Kefalonia's sea turtles matter
Credit: Eco cruising, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Sea turtles are usually solitary creatures, but Kefalonia's population manage to live alongside each other
The turtles you are most likely to spot foraging and nesting in Kefalonia are loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). These large animals can live for up to 67 years.
Their life cycle is fascinating, with youngsters taking 15 to 20 years to mature. They also play an important environmental role, providing food for other marine life. Over a hundred species of animals, and 37 species of algae, have been found on their shells.
They are migratory animals, moving long distances between foraging grounds, and in the mating season they return to where they hatched.
"Over a hundred species of animals, and 37 species of algae, have been found on their shells"
The turtles are normally solitary, but things work differently in Argostoli. Because the food supply is rich in the harbour’s shallow waters, the turtles tolerate each other and live socially.
This doesn’t come without its risks, and the usually uncommon injuries caused by other turtles are seen more often here.
Because of the more social nature of the Argostoli population, it is one of the only places where people can observe their mating behaviour.
Humanity's threat to sea turtles
Credit: FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, via Flickr. Local volunteers help hatchlings to crawl from the quietest part of the beach
As with most wildlife, human activity is having an impact on the turtles. Light pollution and disruption to their nesting sites severely impact the chances of eggs and hatchlings surviving.
The charity Wildlife Sense started in 2012 to protect the turtles and ensure they have a healthy environment. Co-founder, Chanel Comis, explains some of the problems they face.
“Turtles pick out the best beaches. They’re very intelligent. Kefalonia has narrow beaches and the widest part always has the beach bar on it. So, the turtles have to go for what’s left, which is usually the narrowest part of the beach.”
"Volunteers sleep next to the hatchery and take the hatchlings to the darkest part of the beach"
If nests are too close to the water, they can flood. Volunteers perform beach profiles throughout the season to look at the inclination of the beach, as well as looking for plastic nurdles.
Around 50 per cent of the nests are laid too close to the sea and need relocating to a hatchery further up the beach.
Volunteers sleep next to the hatchery and take the hatchlings to the darkest part of the beach in a bucket full of sand, allowing them to crawl to the sea.
This crawl is vital as it’s when they imprint the location they need to return to. The first few hundred metres is where they stretch their flippers and start to build up the strength they need to avoid predators such as fish and crabs.
The impact of climate change
Another big challenge for the turtles is a warming climate, particularly as they experience temperature dependent sex determination. If the temperature during the middle period of incubation is above 29°C the eggs will develop into females. Anything cooler, and they’ll become males.
Erratic weather events associated with climate change also pose big challenges for the turtles. Dramatic storms mean more nests need relocating to protect the eggs from rough seas.
"Dramatic storms mean more nests need relocating to protect the eggs from rough seas"
The sea grass that turtles depend on also has a role in the fight against climate change, as it absorbs even more carbon than forests. Research into sea grass may not seem as exciting as turtle research, but it’s vital for a healthy environment and to help the turtles long-term.
“Sea grass isn’t mobile—it stays right there! Protect that and you protect the turtles," says Chanel. "The turtles deserve a safe environment. They inhabited the area a long time before us. It’s important to be here all year around to help them.”
How you can help the sea turtles
Credit: Wildlife Sense. Pull down sandcastles and fill in any holes you've dug at the beach to help preserve sea turtles
If you visit Kefalonia, treat turtles as wildlife and don’t feed them.
“They are so endearing, it’s very tempting to try and touch them or feed them, but these are wild animals,” Chanel cautions.
Fish are not their natural food source. In the wild they eat mussels, jellyfish and crabs. Feeding the turtles is creating a dependency and increasing the number of propellor and boat strikes as they try to approach vessels. They need to be able to search for and find their own food to survive.
“It’s interesting here in Argostoli, they come swimming along the wall with their mouths open. They didn’t used to beg for food.”
It’s important not to disturb nests or hatchlings. If you’re on the beach, knock down sandcastles and fill in holes you’ve dug as they confuse nesting females and trap hatchlings.
Pointy umbrellas and beach equipment can pierce a nest and destroy all the eggs, so these should be placed on wet sand near the shoreline, not at the back of the beach.
The best ways to experience the turtles is to enjoy them visually them from the harbour, or join nest inventories to see the hatchlings safely.
"Although there are more nests, there are also more threats, so the hard work must continue"
There are steps you can take to help marine life wherever you live. As Chanel explains, sometimes the most effective things we can do to help are the simplest:
“Reduce, reuse, recycle. Refuse single use plastics. Pick up five pieces of plastic every time you go to the beach. Take home what you bring with you. Educate people. Talk about environmental issues, turtles, your local wildlife. There are species that are protected wherever you live that need help.”
Since 2012, Chanel and the team have recorded over 700 individual turtles. The mating season this year in Argostoli has been the busiest since Wildlife Sense began; a trend that has been noticed globally.
Sadly though, although there are more nests, there are also more threats, so the hard work must continue.
The results of their efforts may take a long time to be seen, but mature individuals returning safely over a decade after they were first recorded is heartening to see.
Banner credit: Matt Kieffer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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