SUPinCrete has always been a huge fun of turtles and especially of Caretta Caretta, a species quite common in the Mediterranean.
It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that we applaud their rare appearances during our tours around the coastline of Chania. Despite their size, they are nothing but graceful and fast swimmers, and their presence is a reason to cause huge smiles and exclamatory reactions of our guests.

However, as many other extraordinary creatures, their life is in danger due to a number of reasons, mostly related to human actions. Once they reach adulthood, it gets more difficult for a sea turtle to be attacked by a predator. However, the Caretta Caretta population has dramatically decreased over the past few decades because turtles have to face new threats, the ones created by humans.

Ever since the moment they come to light, hatchling Caretta caretta loggerheads have to face too many perils which unfortunately result in the survival of only one out of 10 000.

After they emerge from the sand, hatchlings struggle to get the sea. This can only take place at night because when the sun rises they can dry out or be an easy target for other animals. When they finally get to the ocean, young turtles swim for as long as 20 hours in order to be safe.

Below you will find some interesting facts about them and easy ways we can help these extraordinary creatures survive.

Caretta Caretta is a species of oceanic turtle, distributed throughout the world, but is the only species of Mediterranean sea-turtles that nests in Crete and Greece.

Sea turtles are reputed to be strongly philopatric, and always return to the same beach they were born on to lay their own eggs.

The average loggerhead measures around 90 cm (35 in) in carapace length when fully grown. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately 135 kg (298 lb), with the largest specimens weighing in at more than 450 kg (1,000 lb). The loggerhead sea turtle has a low reproductive rate; females lay an average of four egg clutches and then become quiescent, producing no eggs for two to three years and has a lifespan of 47–67 years.

Caretta-Caretta sea turtle has been officially declared an endangered species and is severely threatened by the development, both legal and illegal, of nesting beaches.

Due to the lack of infrastructure, the pressures of the tourist industry lead to considerable amounts of solid waste, litter, noise, traffic, pollution, and coastal degradation. Each year, speedboats kill several turtles during collisions. Untended fishing gear is also responsible for many loggerhead deaths. The greatest threat is the loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances (such as coastal lighting and housing developments) that cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings.

Entangled Caretta - https://www.lifegate.com/underwater-photographer-of-the-year-2019-winners

Nearly 24,000 metric tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean each year. Turtles ingest a wide array of this floating debris, including bags, sheets, pellets, balloons and abandoned fishing lines. Loggerheads may mistake the floating plastic for jellyfish, a common food item. The ingested plastic causes numerous health concerns, including intestinal blockage, reduced nutrient absorption and malnutrition, suffocation, ulcerations, or starvation. Turtles may also suffocate if they are trapped in fishing trawls. Turtle excluder devices have been implemented in efforts to reduce mortality by providing an escape route for the turtles. Loss of suitable nesting beaches and the introduction of exotic predators have also taken a toll on loggerhead populations. Efforts to restore their numbers will require international cooperation since the turtles roam vast areas of the ocean and critical nesting beaches are scattered across several countries.

How we can help:

Keep the beaches clean!
Turtles can accidentally eat plastic bags mistaking them for food and this can lead to serious injuries or death. Please remember to responsibly dispose of any trash before leaving the beach.

When on a boat, do not feed the turtles!
By doing so, Caretta caretta turtles are attracted by the food and they may get too close to the boats so visitors can see them swimming in their natural habitat.
However, this is a huge risk as they are often killed or mutilated by propellers.

Keep your distance from nesting females!
Human activity on turtles’ nesting beaches, especially at night, can disturb turtles and lead them to not emerge from the sea or even stop them from nesting. During this period, the nesting areas shouldn’t be used by humans, and allow for abundant space for the turtles to nest.

Keep your lights off!
Female Caretta caretta need dark and quiet beaches to lay their eggs. Otherwise, they could be pushed to choose other less suitable locations, which may reduce the probability of the nesting being successful.

Also, when hatchlings emerge from the sand, they are attracted to the sea by the shining of the moon and the stars on the water. Night lighting can cause confusion and lead them toward the land, instead of the ocean. Here they die due to dehydration or because they become an easy target for other predators.

Reduce ocean pollution!
One thing we all can do to protect marine species is to opt for biodegradable products or at least use less toxic chemicals. Sea pollution causes serious diseases to turtles, that ultimately impede vision, swallowing, and movement or interfere with system functioning.

Get involved!
Follow the social media of organizations that rescue and protect Caretta Caretta, restore their habitat, educate and raise awareness regarding the dangers they encounter, and take action at sea. Engage with other volunteers and attend beach clean-ups or support them with a small contribution.

Check below the work of some noteworthy organizations with remarkable environmental actions:

@archelon_greece
@archipelagosimc
@wwfgreece
@medasset_

sources:

www.archelon.gr

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loggerhead_sea_turtle

www.explorecrete.com/nature/caretta.html

www.visitgreece.gr/en/nature/fauna/sea_turtle_careta-careta

www.cretanbeaches.com

https://www.lifegate.com/underwater-photographer-of-the-year-2019-winners

https://www.thoughtco.com/fun-facts-about-sea-turtles-2291407

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