Endangered Caretta-Caretta Sea Turtles

If you are a nature lover, you’ll love the adorable Caretta-Caretta turtles! This sea turtle species is the only one that finds shelter in Greece.

Caretta-Carretta Sea Turtles

With the lovely sandy beaches with crystal blue/turquoise deep waters and landscapes that leave one breathless, there’s another reason to go to Kefalonia especially if you are a nature lover. And this reason is the wildlife of the island and particularly its endangered species. One of the exciting species is the Caretta-Caretta turtles, which roam across the waters of the island and the port of Argostoli, Greece.

The Caretta-Caretta Turtles can be differentiated from other sea turtles by their big heads, and reddish-brown-yellow shells, and are thought to be one of the oldest species in the world.

The Caretta-Caretta Turtles, also known as Loggerhead Turtles, are between 1-1.2 meters long and can live up to 65 years. Many beaches in Kefalonia are protected during the Caretta-Caretta reproduction period. This is because the female Caretta-Caretta turtles drag themselves out of the sea at night and bury their eggs in the sand to hatch. After about 60-70 days, the newborn Caretta-Caretta turtles get out of their eggs and drag themselves to their natural environment, at night, the ocean!

In Kefalonia, there are numerous beaches where Caretta Caretta and their nests can be found. The nests can be found near Ratzakli,  Skala and Katelios, as well as other beaches on the Island

If you actually want to see a live breathing adult Caretta-Caretta turtle in Kefalonia you can go to the Koutavos Lagoon in Argostoli. You can locate them near the De Bosset Bridge and alongside the waterfront, where they sometimes follow the fish boats and swim around in search of food. Make sure you take your cameras and take some pictures of this fantastic legendary sea creature!

Stay at this Kefalonia Villa and visit Argostoli in the morning to see the turtles near the fishing boats looking for food. During the hatching season, visit the many beaches where you will see the many hatchlings emerge and gently be led to the sea. You can join many volunteers on the Island to survey the nesting beaches of Kefalonia to protect the turtle nests.