Katelios Environmental And Cultural Centre

For their holidays, tourists from all over the world have chosen Greek beaches for decades.
The reason is clear, but they are not the only ones returning faithfully to the same beautiful spots every year.
For even longer marine turtles have come to lay their eggs on some of these charming beaches.
And they have a similar taste when choosing what is best for them. Turtles come to nest on the soft sand where they can dig a pit for the eggs with their fins. They need sandy beaches, and they prefer soft inclines and shallow waters.

Today, all the marine turtle species are endangered. They represent an ancient and precious heritage in the marine environment biodiversity.
On the island of Kefalonia, the Loggerhead turtle regularly visits one of the largest southern beaches, Mounda. And not just for holidays.
Caretta caretta, which is the scientific name for this species, in the summer comes out of the water at night, lingers on the shoreline for a few seconds looking around, and then starts her quest for a good spot under the moon. As soon as she finds one, after crawling on the difficult surface, she prepares a special nest for her hundred eggs in a traditional way. Then she goes back to her house, the sea.

After about two months, on that same spot some movement can be felt.
A whole gang of tiny creatures are digging under the sand. They break free to the surface, they take their first steps on earth just to move into their natural habitat, the sea. Baby are turtles are born, another miracle of life.

This is not the end of the story, though.
Loggerhead turtles are endangered and protected for a reason. Many are the threats they have to face. A lot of these threats are anthropogenic, a nice way to say they are caused by man.
The Katelios Group, a local NGO, is dedicated mainly to help turtles in their biggest challenge: survival.

To do so, the Katelios Group relies upon motivated volunteers coming from all over the world.
Volunteers patrol the beach at night during the nesting season, assist in all the aspects of conservation, they collect data, they check opening nests and baby turtles. And they take part in another vital action: environmental education. Tourists and locals are informed on how to reduce or avoid actions that could harm turtles (even the most harmless-looking, like a sandcastle) through leaflets, presentations, permanent expositions in the environmental centre.

If you would like to contribute to the preservation of the environment where we all live (and do it in a wonderful place, why not?)
e-mail the Katelios Group at: volunteer@kateliosgroup.org for more information about how to become a volunteer.
or call: 0030 26710 81009

or visit the Katelios Group website: www.kateliosgroup.org for more information about Loggerhead turtle in Kefalonia.

Manuel A. Coleman
Katelios Group for the research and protection of marine and terrestrial life

The headquarters of the Katelios Group for Research and Protection of Marine Terrestrial Life can be found by the bus stop just outside Kato Katelios and is easily recognised by the large sign showing a dolphin, turtle and eagle. The offices and museum are within this building. The Marine Turtle Project was set up to observe and record the nesting female turtles on the beaches of Kaminia and Mounda and consists mainly of local people and volunteer students from all over the world. It is open 09.30-13.30 and 17.00-21.30
Tel ++30 26710 81009
Fax ++30 26710 81584
Email: info@kateliosgroup.org
www.kateliosgroup.org