The last ARCHELON mission for 2020 was completed in September 2020 at the beach of Preveza, in western Greece. More than 15 loggerhead nests have been recorded there, from Kastrosykia to Mytikas, during the last 4 summers.
“What is interesting in this particular beach is the observation of temperature within the nests. We placed the temperature loggers in the beginning of the summer and now, after all hatchlings left, we came back to collect them. We are seeking to record any annual changes in the range of temperatures in the nests and whether these correspond to the rising mean temperatures in the air, which are considered part of the current climate crisis” says Galini Samlidou, a conservation biologist working with ARCHELON.
The ratio of male/female hatchlings depends on the range of temperatures inside each nest and it is different in each nesting area of Greece. Lower temperatures in the nest favor male hatchlings while higher temperatures favor female ones. Determining this ratio is vital for any population analysis, especially so for the future survival of this species in the face of climate crisis.
“These recordings are collected since 2017, and contribute to the implementation of the European project LifeEUROTURTLES”, points out Anna Lamaj, who has participated on behalf of ARCHELON also in previous years.
The analysis of temperature data from Preveza by Dr Alan Rees, ARCHELON’s consultant for LIFE EUROTURTLES, have once again revealed the probability of more male hatchlings in this particular beach.