Zakynthos Zakynthos is the most southern of the big Ionic islands (such as Korfu and Kefalonia), located in front of the west coast of Greece. The vast surface of the Mediterranean Sea stretches from the southwest of Zakynthos for several hundred kilometres up to the coast of Libya. Maybe this explains why the southern coast of Zakynthos is the most important breeding ground for Loggerhead Sea Turtles in the Mediterranean area. Each year, some 400 female turtles bury their eggs in the sand on the beaches in the bay of Laganas, in total about 1.300 clutches of 80 to 100 eggs each.
The problem is that the soft sand is not only popular with the turtles; today, the island, which the Venetians once fondly named the "Flower of the Orient", is an attractive destination for beach tourists, about 300.000 per season. As the breeding time of the turtles, which lasts from May to September coincides with the tourist season, problems are pre-assigned, though not inevitable.
Marine Park in trouble
In 1999 Euronatur and other environmental organizations established the Marine Park of Zakynthos. This park was the first of its kind in Greece, with a functioning administration and employed staff to control the environmental compliance of the park. Through various workshops that were organized by Euronatur in 2001 and 2002, the initially negative attitude of the local population towards the park gradually changed to greater acceptance.
The duties of the park staff and hence the status and credibility of the national park however are still not sufficiently supported by the Greek government. For example, funds already promised in autumn 2003 were simply not paid, so that the park staff worked for ten months without receiving a salary and eventually had to quit their job in 2004 at the start of the tourist season.
Chaotic conditions
Consequently, the beaches were exposed to an utterly uncontrolled use, and the problems of the past years got completely out of hand. Deckchairs and sunshades were left on the beaches overnight, obstructing the way of the turtles crawling on the beach. Illegal buildings were erected in the direct proximity of the beach; vehicles were driven over the beach, disco and bar illumination disoriented the freshly slipped turtles, which are geared to the lightest spot on the horizon (generally the open sky above the sea) to find their direct way into the water.
Also in 2005, at first no improvement was in sight. Only in the middle of the season and under the pressure of the European Union, the Greek government stepped into action, nominating a new president for the Marine Park. A boat was bought to control the speed limits and sailing prohibitions, and a police station was set up on the beach to control the area.
Lack of reliable funds
Yet these can only be initial steps on the way to improving the situation, and it has still to be seen whether the positive trend continues during the next season. It is vital for the survival of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle in the Mediterranean Sea that Greece finally fulfils its obligations and implements serious protection measures. This also implies a reliable financing of the protected area, since without such funds long-term measures cannot be implemented.
Together with its Greek partner organisation Medasset, Euronatur has carried out a signature campaign. Thanks to the active support of many Euronatur sponsors and donors, in February 2005 we handed 16.000 signatures over to the Greek government. Euronatur will continue lobbying for the endangered turtles and the Marine Park on Zakynthos in Brussels, Athens and on Zakynthos itself.
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