Thursday, 06 August 2015

A fire that recently broke out in the area of the Zakynthos marine protected area threatened the home of the loggerhead turtle. Sekania is the single most important beach for turtle-nesting in the entire Mediterranean.

A fire on the surrounding mountains can lead to landslides which can damage the beach, making it impossible for turtles to dig the sand and lay their eggs. Summer is the season where up to 1000 turtle nests can be found on the single stretch of sand that is Sekania.

Because of the dire economic situation, the state has recently been unable to provide basic guarding services in the area. WWF Greece has stepped in, hiring a dedicated guard. Indeed, he was instrumental in getting a quick response from the local fire service. Thanks to the joint effort, the fire was contained before it could threaten Caretta Caretta’s beach.