Further Information
Turtle Conservation on the Greek Island of Zakynthos

The main aim of the project is to protect the local flora and fauna (principally the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)), and promote sustainable tourism. The Sea Turtle & Wildlife Information Centre was built in 1996 - the only one on the island - to encourage visitors to take a closer look at the rich heritage, natural beauty, wildlife and culture of Zakynthos, and to promote the need for sustainable tourism. This is one of the beaches from where the volunteers operate providing important information to the many people who visit the nesting beaches each year, as well as doing research and monitoring work with the turtles, and providing first aid should any of the creatures need it.

Due to the significance of Zakynthos as a loggerhead nesting ground in the Mediterranean, the Greek government introduced protective legislation as early as 1984. The purpose of this legislation was to control further development and maintain the quality of the nesting beaches, and this assumed a stronger status in 1990 when a presidential decree was passed. In 1988, a ministerial decision established two maritime zones in a large portion of the bay, and in 1994, night flights between 10 pm and 5 am were banned as they flew over one of the main nesting beaches. Unfortunately, legislation was poorly enforced, allowing illegal umbrellas and sun beds to occupy vital nesting grounds or illegal buildings to sprout up and cars to drive on the beach packing down the sand and making it impossible to nest, or for hatchlings to surface. The legislation did succeed, however, in halting large hotel complexes from being built on certain beaches. Marathonissi Isle was not developed thanks to concerted reaction by conservationists, local communities and the local church.

The long-standing struggle of NGOs eventually urged the Greek government to proceed with the establishment of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (NMPZ) in December 1999. This is the first National Park to protect sea turtle nesting beaches in the Mediterranean, and the first protected area in Greece with a Management Agency, yet due to a lack of government support and funds, the NMPZ couldn’t work for a couple of years. Over the last year and a half there has been new management and a marked improvement in monitoring the park, yet it is a continuing struggle to raise the funds to keep it running efficiently. Although volunteers and NGO staff have a certain amount of power over controlling the beaches, NMPZ staff are badly needed to enforce the laws, and the only way to make the Greek government do something is by publicising the situation worldwide – particularly bringing it to the attention of the EEC and imposing large fines.

Laws such as fishing and motor boats in the Laganas bay are not being enforced over the summer months, and this is leading to a lot of turtles being hurt by propellers, ingested hooks and pollution. The nearest rehabilitation centre is in Athens, a good hour’s flight away, if they are lucky enough to have a flight available. Often there are no flights, which mean days of delay and the difference between life and death. The NGO’s have therefore teamed up with Sea Life Centre UK's SOS Campaign. Each year, the influential conservation and campaigning arm of the European network of Sea Life Centres - the SOS Programme - champions a worthy cause and it has launched an ambitious campaign to raise 500,000 Euros (£350,000) to start building the centre in 2007/8, ready for the 2009 season. The money is to fund the building costs, equip the medical bay, hospital tanks for recovering turtles and a large rehabilitation tank for the recovered turtles due for release into the wild. The centre will also serve as an information centre, manned by volunteers, and will be open to the public year round.

One way to try and persuade locals that conservation and eco holidays are beneficial to them is to promote Zakynthos as a great destination at any time, not just in the summer during the turtle season. Winter is just as amazing when wildflowers proliferate, birds are in abundance and Monk Seals are breeding. Another project the NGOs are concentrating on is to ensure illegal hunting is well and truly banned. Some people in Greece love shooting birds of any size and species, and do so indiscriminately, totally ignoring the illegality of it or whether the species is protected or not. One of the best ways to oppose the hunting is to extend the tourist season and promote bird watching and rambling activities throughout the Ionian, cleaning up the countryside from the litter and shells left by the hunters. Sustainable tourism such as this would create jobs off season and provide an alternative to the uncontrolled hunting. The publicity will also hopefully persuade the Greek government to enforce this European directive.