TUI Turtle Aid Greece
The long-term survival of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean is conservation-dependent, which means that their nesting habitats need to be protected. Tourist development near nesting beaches can have a devastating impact on the sea turtle population nesting there. In the Cretan towns of Rethymno and Chania, there has been a significant decrease in the number of nests recorded in recent years.
TUI Turtle Aid Greece strengthens tourism stakeholder engagement in sea turtle conservation by protecting hatchlings, educating tourists as well as locals, and implementing a turtle-friendly tourism certification scheme for beachfront businesses in northern Crete. The project also surveys turtle activity on the island of Rhodes to develop recommendations on how to protect them there too.
In northern Crete, coastal erosion, climate change and a significant increase in the number of beachfront businesses in Rethymno and Chania mean that the chances of survival for the local sea turtle population have decreased. In particular, the businesses don’t always comply with light pollution guidelines or remove beach furniture after sunset, making nesting on the beach a real challenge for the turtles. Without the tourism sector’s active involvement in turtle conservation going forward, the future of this endangered species could be at risk.
TUI Turtle Aid Greece protects 45,000 hatchlings from 540 nests by conducting daily surveys and undertaking proactive nest management on the beaches in Chania and Rethymno. Five beachfront accommodation providers work towards and receive a newly implemented turtle-friendly tourism certification. Additionally, 30 further beachfront businesses increase awareness about turtle protection with employees and visitors.
The programme also provides marine conservation education and turtle-friendly tourism to 60,000 people, including 54,000 tourists and 6,000 local community members. Two information kiosks offer public presentations as well as beach excavations and guided beach walks.
TUI Turtle Aid Greece is also undertaking surveys on Rhodes to catalogue and monitor sea turtle activity and numbers. In cases where turtle nesting activity is recorded, potential threats to the safe incubation of the eggs is assessed and recommendations made for the future.
As part of the project and following months of rehabilitation care at ARCHELON’s Sea Turtle Rescue Centre, loggerhead sea turtle Triton was released back into the Mediterranean Sea with a satellite transmitter. Triton is the first rehabilitated turtle in Greece to be tracked in real time, offering new insights into post-release behaviour and migration. This information is helping to strengthen and shape the marine conservation activities of TUI Turtle Aid Greece.
Project Partner
ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, aims to protect the sea turtles and their habitats in Greece through monitoring and research, developing and implementing management plans, habitat restoration, raising public awareness and rehabilitating sick and injured turtles.
