There are loggerhead sea turtle's nesting grounds found in North Kynouria's beaches according to this news: Φωλιές Caretta caretta στο Παράλιο Άστρος Κυνουρίας
http://paratiritis-news.blogspot.gr/2009/08/caretta-caretta.html
Also, a video about someone discovered a turtle at night on July 15 2011 near Mousto's beach.
http://astrosnews.gr/?p=18074
So, the loggerhead sea turtle's nesting grounds in Greece are certainly not limited to these well-known places:
Gulf of Lagana (Zakynthos), Gulf of Kyparissia (Peloponnese), Rethymno (Crete), Gulf of Laconia (Peloponnese), Chania (Crete)
The incubation of eggs in sand takes around between 45 to 65 days depending on the location of nesting. The sex of turtles is determined by the incubation temperature in the nest. Generally, we can say nests with temperatures lower than 29.2C will produce male turtles, and nests with temperatures higher than 29.2C will produce female turtles. But in nests with temperatures lower than 25C or higher than 35C, the eggs may die. The eggs which are at the bottom of the nest usually have a more stable and cooler temperature, while those that are near the surface are sensitive to the weather changes (cold or heat). Source:http://www.archelon.gr/contents/photos/File/toolbox/2013/Summer/SEATURTLES_IN_NUMBERS.pdf
Caretta caretta live for over 80 years and feed mainly on marine plants and invertebrates, showing special preference for jellyfish.
http://www.wwf.gr/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=66&Itemid=85
The main threats to the survival of the species are:
- the degradation of its breeding habitats (tourism developments that undermine the conservation status of its nesting beaches and the bright lights and noise coming from human activities that disorient the hatchlings inland instead of towards the sea and result in their death)
- entanglement in fishing gear, especially shrimp trawling negatively impacts loggerheads population
- the accidental consumption of floating garbage and plastic bags because floating bags and jellyfishes shine alike
- collision with propellers of recreational and other types of boats
In one study, the turtle's diving behavior was observed by using time–depth recorders (TDR). The GPS data revealed that the turtles spent most of their time in shallow water (< 4 m sea bed depth) very close to the shore (< 200 m), primarily ranging along an 18.5 km section of coastline.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002209810700158X
The above observation and frequent first-hand sightings of turtles close to shore during the breeding period - both suggest that existing legislation to safeguard sea turtles may not include the most critical habitats for female loggerhead sea turtles during the breeding period.
That's why there are many recorded turtle incidents near our sea during their breeding season, which is between June to August.
Recorded incidents in Astros area:
A dead turtle in the Κάτω Βέρβενα Kato Ververna beach on Monday August 5, 2013 - by the initial observation, suffocation from plastic bag is likely the cause of death, the turtle could have mistaken the plastic bag as a yummy jelly fish.
http://astrosnews.gr/?p=70682
On July 3, 2013 in Tyrou a turtle appearred possibly to lay eggs but disturbed.
http://www.tyrostsakonia.gr/tyros/3839-2013-07-04-18-43-04.html
η χελώνα μάλλον βγήκε για να γεννήσει τα αυγά της αλλά τα φώτα της δημοσιότητας την έκαναν να φύγει για άλλη παραλία της περιοχής πιό ήσυχη...Της ευχόμασται καλά γεννητούρια!!!!
A dead turtle on Monday May 6, 2013 http://www.protothema.gr/environment/article/276656/nekrh-thalassia-xelona-ksebrasthke-sto-astros/
An injured turtle in Portes on Wednesday August 3 2011
http://www.eleftheriaonline.gr/koinonia/koinoniki-drastiriotita/item/9674-διάσωση-θαλάσσιας-χελώνας-στο-παράλιο-αστρος
On Saturday June 4, 2011 a 1-meter length turtle was dead near Kallitsi (I think this location is near the 2nd orange lifeguard's post in the Astros Bay because in the older time there was an olive oil extraction plant called Kallitsi at this point), not hit but probably suffocated from swallowing a plastic bag.
http://astrosnews.gr/?p=15981
Astros beach near "Kaliitsi" in late Feb 2012, notice Mt. Parnonas to the right of the orange post is snow capped
near the orange post is this tree that looks more beaufiful in the winter than in the summer!
http://astrosnews.gr/?p=12655
From the above incidents, the dead turtles show up on weekends or on Mondays more than other days of the week, hit by boat's propellers or swallowed plastic bags.
What can we do in the North Kynouria?
Astros' afternoon wind (ο μπάτης) blows away garbage including plastic bags (either placed or not in the garbage bins), since the bins are filled up before afternoon, the city should empty the garbage bins more often and especially before the gusting afternoon wind, plus beach goers and store operators should be more responsible for the garbage in their surrounding.
Some early morning after the beach cleaning machine ran over the sand, I checked the sand, most garbage were still underneath the sand buried further down, I think this machine actually can kill the turtle eggs wherever it goes. Its effectiveness is questionable. Garbage can only be removed when people don't litter in the beach and responsibly put them in their own beach bags and deposit them later on in the bins on the streets.
Certain coastal area (such as the sea near Moustos wetland) plus the wetland together can be designated as a marine national park, and boats with propellers and cars prohibited into the area. A well organized wetland and coastal area with living animals plus well-developed inland hiking routes can attract tourism more.
Tourism without a vision can only destroy a beautiful place, from early 1990 and on I observed the tourism development in the Astros region with skepticism. Just one simple example, where are the recycling bins? Every Mondays my husband has to load plastic bottles, tins, and papers in his car and transport them back to Athens to the recycling facilities there.
The city can actually do more by organizing beach cleaning awareness / events on every Sunday evening before sunset, and by separating kids into different age groups, a competition in each age group on who brings the biggest volume of garbage will be rewarded with a free meal up to a value of say €10 (sponsorship by local businesses), this kind of community activity is educational and fun, it also serves the purpose of cleaning the beach.
Please join the beach cleaning drive at 10:30am today at Del Mar.
We should not be selfish enough to enjoy our lives and leave a dirty planet for our future generation, as North American Indians say:
"We have not inherited the earth from our parents, we have borrowed it from our children"
Other references:
Gives pictures of varieties of sea turtles http://www.euroturtle.org/1.htm
Sea Turtle Rescue Center ARCHELON
http://www.archelon.gr/eng/pedio_rescue.php
Details about Caretta Caretta's behavior
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=163
Educational resources for biology teachers pertaining to Caretta Caretta in Greece
http://www.archelon.gr/contents/photos/File/toolbox/2013/Summer/SEATURT
Astros Bay late Feb 2012
This is a shot from the beach towards Mt. Zavitsa between camping Thirea and Portes in late Feb 2012, during the summer you see only sand and no accumulation of water at all here
This is the Atsiganos Ατσίγγανος beach in late March 2012
dried up river Tanos Ποτάμι Τάνος is where Astros garbage is being dumped including recyclable materials
