Green turtle builds nest on Naxos for the first time

In the Apollon area, a green turtle was spotted by residents and volunteers, building its nest. It is a historic moment, as it is the first time that this species has chosen Naxos and the Cyclades in general to build its nest and lay its eggs!

In the phone call that the Association received, it was informed that in a cafe on Apollon beach, a sea turtle had come out to give birth. When the volunteers arrived, they saw with their own eyes the large turtle preparing its nest. They were surprised to find that it was a green turtle, a species that usually prefers warmer waters and with unique records in Rhodes and Crete, according to official ARCHELON data.

See the post by Naxos Wildlife Protection:

?? First Recorded Nesting of a Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Naxos and the Cyclades

An incredibly pleasant surprise awaited us last night. At 2:30 a.m., we received a phone call from Apollonas, Naxos, reporting that a sea turtle had come ashore to nest in front of the café "Akrogiali."

We rushed to the site and indeed spotted a large sea turtle preparing her nest. Our surprise grew even greater when we identified the turtle as a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas).

The green turtle is a species that prefers warmer waters, and in Greece, nesting has so far only been officially recorded on the islands of Rhodes and Crete, according to data from ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece @archelon_greece. This makes last night's event the first officially documented nesting of a green turtle on Naxos and in the Cyclades as a whole.

Although we observe and care for green turtles every year on Naxos, a nest has never before been discovered.

The Naxos Wildlife Protection Association has officially undertaken the monitoring and protection of the nest, holding all necessary permits. The site will be closely monitored throughout the incubation period until the hatchlings emerge.

We kindly ask residents and visitors to respect the area and avoid any disturbance or interference. If you witness any unusual activity or disturbance near the site, please contact us immediately at +30 697 679 7070.

Let us work together to protect this rare and significant event for Naxos' wildlife.