An unexpectedly high number of Caretta Caretta sea turtle nests have been recorded in Greece and in the Mediterranean this year, according to official data issued by Archelon.
Archelon volunteers counted 6,500 caretta caretta nests on the 75-km long nesting beaches where the protected sea turtles lay eggs in Greece, a spectacular rise from 5,400 nests recorded in 2019. The increase has caused the group to dub 2020 as the “Year of the Sea Turtle”.
The Greek environmental organisation stated that a similar increase was observed in other countries. It attributed the increase to the environmental conditions that have prevailed in the Mediterranean in previous years that are not connected with the quarantine and the repercussions of the pandemic.
More information on the protection of the nests, volunteerism and the Archelon adoption programme are available on www.archelon.gr.