Press Release
No.2 (16/04/97)
Caretta caretta
travels..."By Satellite" in the Mediterranean Sea, from Kefalonia
On Sunday April 13th 1997 the Mediterranean
Association to Save the Sea Turtles - MEDASSET and the Naples Research
Centre of Zoology and for the Rehabilitation of Sea Turtles - ” Anton
Dohrn•, jointly organized the release of a Caretta caretta sea turtle
from the Greek island of Kefalonia. The turtle had been fitted with
a special satellite transmitter on her back in order to enable scientists
to monitor and to record, for six to eight months via Satellite, her
movements in the Mediterranean.
This would be the first time that the release of
a sea turtle for tele-monitoring via satellite had taken place in Greece
and the second time in the Mediterranean as a whole. The use of such
advanced technology allows vast areas to be covered and vital data concerning
the sea turtles‘ migratory routes to be recorded in a short period of
time. This is essential for the study and the protection of these species.
"Paola" arrived in Sami (on the island of Kefalonia)
by ”MEDLINK LINES• from Napoli, inside a specially prepared travelling
case and was accompanied by the Italian Biologist Angela Paglialonga
and a television crew from the Italian State Television (RAI). The reception
and release of ”Paola• was organized in Kefalonia by the Mediterranean
Association to Save the Sea Turtles - MEDASSET. Experienced divers from
the Hellenic Club of Underwater Activities and Research (HCUAR), recorded
”Paola‘s• release using underwater video and stills photography, while
RAI TV covered the operation from the beach.
The turtle‘s release took place on that same afternoon
from the beach at Skala. The reasons this particular area had been selected
were firstly, because Skala beach is a sea turtle nesting area secondly
because the water temperature in the lonian sea is higher, at this time
of year than in the Adriatic and thirdly because illegal fishing using
the disastrous drift nets is prevalent in Italy at this time of year.
One of the victims of this illegal and destructive
method of fishing was ”Paola• herself who, on 4.11.95, was destined
to become...turtle soup. She had been transported to the beach by local
fishermen. Fortunately for her, however, 15 year old Paola daughter
of the beach restaurant owner, who knew through the Media about the
” Anton Dohrn• rehabilitation programme of Sea Turtles, together with
her father, took hold of the sea turtle, loaded her in their car and
delivered her in the middle of the night to the Research Centre of Zoology
in Napoli. The turtle was examined by experts who discovered that her
stomach contained fishing hooks! One large hook was embedded inside
her oesophagus and had to be removed by endoscopy while the rest were
discarded in the normal way.
The Research Centre of Zoology "Anton Dohrn" in Naples
is the first such Centre founded internationally In 1872, Anton Dohrn,
a friend of Charles Darwin founded the Centre in order to provide scientific
confirmation for the theories of his friend.MEDASSET has been co-operating
since 1996 with Dr. Flegra Bentivegna, the Centre‘s curator Chief Researcher,
who is responsible for the programme of rehabilitation and telemetry
monitoring through satellite of the Mediterranean Sea Turtles.
The sea turtle release operation was strongly
supported by the Vice-Prefect of Kefalonia Mr. Alivizatos, the Harbour-Master
Mr. Galiatsatos, the Port Authority of Sami, the President of the Skala
I Razakli Local Community, Mr. Andrew Zapantis, the Consul of Italy
in Kefalonia, Mrs. Anna - Maria Minegardi and the Local SUPER CHANNELTV.
A large number of the local inhabitants took part while the owner of
the White Rocks Hotel, Mrs. N. Kontodimos, offered her generous
hospitality to all from the Research Centre of Zoology, MEDASSET, HCUAR
and the RAl/TV representatives.
© 1997 MEDASSET
The map also shows the satellite tracking of
"Gaeta", a female loggerhead turtle released by Statione Zoologica in
July 1995.
Paola
Island of Kefalonia - Paola release point (13/04/97)
Cape Tenaro - Paola loss in transmission (25/05/97)
Island of Kea - Paola resumes transmission (06/97)
Further resources:
Status
of the Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Naples and preliminary study of Migration
Brief
notes on migration in Sea Turtles
Brief
notes on satellite tracking methods
Final
Press release
The
"Paola" project
