Sea Turtle – Caretta caretta

The turtle Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) is a species of sea turtle with a worldwide distribution. It belongs to the Cheloniidae family. The sea turtle is found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Greece (especially the coasts of Zakynthos – Zakynthos and Kyparissia National Marine Park) is the most popular nesting (spawning) area along the Mediterranean, with more than 3,000 nests per year.

The Caretta turtle spends most of its life in the sea and estuaries, with females only coming ashore for a short time to lay their eggs. It has a low reproductive rate: females lay an average of four clutches of eggs and then remain inactive and do not spawn again for two to three years. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of 17-33 and has a lifespan of 47-67 years. Sea turtles have been considered until the last decade as an endangered species (classified as EN-endangered according to IUCN) and are protected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Abandoned and in-use fishing gear is responsible for many turtle deaths. The loss of suitable nesting beaches and the introduction of new predators have also affected the turtle population. Efforts to restore their numbers require more general cooperation, given that turtles roam vast areas of the ocean and nesting beaches are scattered across different countries. In this context, in 1983 the Association for the Protection of the Sea Turtle “Archelon” was established, a non-profit association with the object of the study, protection and care of Caretta turtles, as well as the management of the ecosystems in the most important Greek nesting beaches . The continuous information and awareness about the necessity of maintaining Caretta caretta at satisfactory levels seems to be starting to bear fruit in recent years, since now its conservation status on a global scale, based on the IUCN red list of species, is classified as vulnerable ( VU-Vulnerable).

C. caretta is the 2nd largest hard-shelled turtle in the world. Adults have an average weight of 100 to 150 kg and a shell length of up to 120 cm. The maximum recorded weight is 545 kg and the maximum shell length is 213 cm. The head and carapace range from yellow-orange to reddish-brown, while the plastron (underside) is usually pale yellow. The turtle’s neck and sides are brown on top and yellow on the side and bottom. The turtle’s shell is divided into two parts: the carapace and the plastron. The shell is further divided into large plates or scales. Usually 11 or 12 pairs of plates are located on the rim of the shell. The sea turtle is an omnivore. It feeds mainly on bottom invertebrates, such as gastropods, bivalve molluscs and decapods. It has the widest prey range of any sea turtle. During open sea migration they eat jellyfish, floating molluscs, floating egg clusters, squid and swallow fish.

PRESERVATION STATUS:
The subpopulation of Caretta caretta in the Mediterranean has been categorized as a “Threatened Species of Least Concern” but is significantly dependent on conservation programs. It is globally classified as a “Vulnerable Species”. The species is found in areas of the Natura 2000 network. It is protected by the P.D. 67/1981, while it is included in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). It is included in annex II of the Berne Convention and its trade is prohibited under the CITES Convention.

THREATS:
The main threats it faces in Greece are the ecological degradation of the ecosystems that host it such as: the residential and touristic development of the spawning beaches, the artificial lighting that disorients the young, the erosion of the beaches and the climate change that threatens the coastal ecosystems and the spawning beaches. Entanglement in fishing gear, injuries from speedboats and intentional killing by some fishermen are some additional man-made risks.
Indicatively, it is reported that 80% of the people admitted for treatment at the Sea Turtle Rescue Center in Glyfada, during the period 1994-2000, had injuries caused by fishing gear, as well as intentional abuse.
Egg predation by foxes, dogs, rats, etc., is an additional threat and has been observed on spawning beaches of the Peloponnese, affecting 40% of the nests. However, the main predator of the small ones are seagulls, while in the sea crabs, large fish etc.
Garbage in the sea is also a particularly important threat. In particular, the plastic bags that degrade the marine ecosystem, look like stingrays and can fool turtles, who eat them and as a consequence cause their death.

TARGET GROUPS:
Amateur and professional fishermen in the maritime area of ​​the Ionian Sea, owners of pleasure or sightseeing boats in the wider maritime area.