Balancing tourism and wildlife rarely works in favor of the animals. The Greek island of Zakynthos is one of the main nesting sites for sea turtles in the Mediterranean. The problem: hatching season coincides with the summer tourist peak.
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In the clear waters of Zakynthos, Greece, a mesmerizing aquatic ballet unfolds every summer. Loggerhead turtles arrive here by the thousands to reproduce. It’s a spectacle that has brought worldwide fame to the small Greek island. From his tourist boat, Captain Thanos knows this better than anyone: “Everybody here wants to see sea turtles,” he confirms.
This guide practices spotting—that is, locating and observing sea turtles. A fleeting encounter, but one greatly appreciated by a small group of British visitors who each paid €35 for the experience. “It’s incredible. Plus, it’s my favorite animal,” one tourist exclaims.
But the hunt for the perfect souvenir photo quickly turns into a chase. Up to five boats sometimes compete to get as close as possible to a single turtle. Yet the practice is strictly regulated, since the species is protected. In theory, each boat may only approach turtles for ten minutes, and swimming is forbidden. The captain understands and respects these rules—but according to him, not everyone does. “There are a lot of boats here. Some follow their own rules—not professionals like us, but tourists without a captain on board,” says Thanos Vitoulkas.
Over a Million Tourists Every Year
Too many boats threaten the turtles with their propellers and disturb them during a crucial period. Every summer, loggerheads arrive from across the Mediterranean to lay their eggs on Zakynthos’s beaches. This unique phenomenon attracts ever more visitors: more than a million tourists per year for an island of only 40,000 inhabitants. Unsurprisingly, the turtle is everywhere—in the streets, in shops, and especially for sale in countless souvenir forms.
To protect its emblematic species, Zakynthos has introduced strict conservation measures in recent years. On six of its beaches, tourists and turtles must now share the space, each with their own designated zones. “Here you have a line marking the nesting area and the leisure area where people can swim. We must ensure that one does not impact the other,” explains Laurent Sourbes, director of Zakynthos National Marine Park.
An NGO Watching Over the Turtles for 40 Years
On the nesting side of the beach, dozens of turtle nests are protected by wooden cages. Each night, female turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. To ensure their safety, tourists are asked to leave the beaches at sunset, leaving them undisturbed until morning for nesting and hatching. At dawn, however, conservation work begins again.
Teams from the NGO Archelon patrol the beach, tracing tracks in the sand to identify, mark, and count new nests. This effort, ongoing for over 40 years, has so far helped save the loggerhead turtle population.
“If we stopped our work, the nests could be trampled or flooded. We move those that are too close to the sea so they aren’t destroyed by waves. Without this, the turtle population could easily collapse again,” explains Thanos Michailidis, project manager at Archelon.
Although the species is no longer considered endangered, it remains classified as vulnerable. To maintain this delicate balance, Zakynthos—the island of turtles—will have to continue its vigilance for many summers to come.
Source: franceinfo
