Marking a major breakthrough in marine conservation efforts in Greece, the first-ever green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nest was documented on the island of Rhodes.
The news was announced by Archelon – Τhe Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece on Tuesday.
The find indicates a change in green turtle nesting habits and an expansion towards the Mediterranean.
The nest was discovered last June at Apolakkia Bay, a quiet beach with minimal tourist development on Rhodes’ western coast.
Researchers and volunteers followed the tracks of an adult green turtle reaching a nest located 28 meters from the sea and containing 86 eggs, 78 of which successfully hatched.
Research was conducted by Archelon during a 20-day survey of the area. Together with researchers from the HCMR Hellenic Center for Marine Research and volunteers, Archelon also recorded seven loggerhead turtle nests on the same beach, which is protected under the EU’s NATURA 2000 program.
Photo: Archelon – Τhe Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece
The green turtle nest is the first recorded on Rhodes. Experts underlined the importance of the find and attribute the green turtle’s change of nesting habits to rising sea temperatures, possibly linked to climate change which is pushing green turtles further west, similar to the expansion seen with loggerhead turtles.
The survey, part of a wider sustainable tourism project, was made possible through the efforts of local volunteers with financial support from the TUI Care Foundation.
The green turtle is a globally endangered species.
“The discovery of green turtle nests on Rhodes is an important step in understanding sea turtle reproduction,” said biologist Costas Teneketzis, who led the study. “This reinforces the need for continued the monitoring and protection of turtle habitats.”
