ARCHELON
The Sea Turtle Directory
Country: Greece
Organization / Project Name: ARCHELON/ Kyparissia Bay
Website: https://archelon.gr/
Email: info@archelon.gr
Description: Kyparissia Bay- The Peloponnese Kyparissia Bay hosts one of the biggest reproductive populations of the Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean. The Nature Protection Area was established in 2018 and its goal is to protect the natural ecosystem of the coastal zone and the sea turtle breeding site from non-compatible human activities. It is part of the European Ecological Network NATURA 2000. Since 1983, ARCHELON has been conducting annual summer field projects in the area, aiming to record data relating to the turtles’ nesting activity as well as protecting the nests. The core area of the project is on a beach 10km long in the southern part of the Bay of Kyparissia, between the estuaries of Neda and the village of Kalo Nero. You can meet the ARCHELON volunteers and learn more about sea turtles at the APOLLO camping in Giannitsochori, Ileia and at the old train station in Agiannakis, Messinia.
Species of focus: Loggerheads (Caretta caretta)
Volunteer program: Yes
Tourist activities (Y/N): Yes
Primary Areas of Work: Policy, Nesting beach monitoring, Beach protection, Community development, Satellite telemetry, Stranding response, Environmental education/community outreach
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/archelon.gr
Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/archelon_greece/