Our Latest News- September 15, 2026
Svoronata Field Station
The last two weeks at Svoronata have absolutely flown by, and what a great time we’ve had! We had our final TNHES (Turtle Nesting Habitat Exploration Surveys) shift of the season, lots of bird surveys, and some great snorkel sessions! On our final snorkel survey, we spotted a loggerhead sea turtle and a monk seal – a truly special morning. It has been a pleasure to work alongside the group for the last two weeks, and we hope to see them again.
On our recent bird surveys, we have sighted multiple interesting bird species. In the space of 24 hours, we sighted a Pygmy Cormorant, a Squacco Heron, and a Little Egret, and it didn’t stop there! On our final Livadi survey, we also sighted two Caspian Terns — a first sighting for Wildlife Sense since 2024.
Our final TNHES shift took place with this group. We had two very successful nests in the Sissia area, and we have thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the Svoronata schedule. We want to extend a big thank you to Nikos for facilitating these surveys.
Education Program and Lourdas Field Station
The Education Programme has welcomed and said goodbye to its final group of the summer. During their latest harbour survey, volunteers spotted Evie, a turtle entangled in fishing line around her front and rear flippers and neck.
The volunteers did an excellent job keeping a close eye on Evie while the team carefully removed the fishing line. Thankfully, she had no further injuries and was released straight away.
A huge thank you to all the volunteers and staff who took part in the Education Programme this summer. We have loved working with you, sharing our conservation work and knowledge, and learning together.
The nesting and hatching season in the Lourdas area is quickly coming to an end, with just 6 nests remaining at Kanali Hatchery.
During inventories, the team has been fortunate to meet many wonderful members of the public who have asked interesting questions and helped shade hatchlings as they make their way to the sea.
We would like to thank all the tourists who have supported us again this season. A very special thank you to Lorna, Ray, David, Gill, Giulia and Steve for their continued fantastic work protecting the sea turtles of Kefalonia. We are incredibly grateful to have you as part of the team!
Lixouri Field Station
Here in Lixouri, we’re reaching the final stages of another incredible nesting season. The beaches have become much quieter, and we are now seeing the last of our nests hatch. After so many busy weeks of early morning surveys and inventories, it is strange to see the season slowly coming to an end!
Our final nests have been keeping our volunteers busy, with everyone making the most of every last opportunity to witness hatchlings beginning their journey towards the sea. Watching these tiny turtles make their way across the beach is a perfect reminder of why all our work throughout the season matters. Our beach clean and profile shifts have continued to keep our volunteers busy as we focus on leaving the beaches in the best condition possible.
Although the season is coming to an end, we have also had the chance to look back on what has been a hugely successful season, helping over 3,500 hatchlings make their way to sea. From the first nesting females arriving on our beaches to the excitement of our first hatchlings, it has been an amazing few months filled with memories, hard work and plenty of early mornings!
Argostoli Field Station
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for team Argo! With our new volunteers settling in, the season has kept a steady rhythm, and their support makes a huge difference across all our shifts.
One special moment from recent days has been a harbour rescue involving a young turtle with a bundle of fishing line wrapped around its front left flipper. Thanks to quick action, the turtle was checked over, tagged, and safely freed from the line. As the turtle was juvenile, they were too young to determine gender. The team chose the name Franks! After the health check, Franks was released back into the harbour, swimming strongly and in good condition.
On the beaches, hatchlings continue to keep us on our toes, and our overnight ‘hatchling rescue’ shifts remain essential. Volunteers have been incredible! Guiding hatchlings safely to the sea and protect them from the impact of light pollution. We are very grateful for their commitment during these long nights.
Our inventories have also continued at a steady pace, and we’re always glad to welcome members of the public who want to learn more about loggerhead conservation. These sessions have been especially exciting lately as many of our nests have hatched successfully, and it’s always a joy to share those results with visitors to the island.
Evening shifts have kept us busy too, with beach profiling and coastal debris monitoring helping us build a clearer picture of coastal changes and how we can improve our environment!
With everyone’s support, we’re feeling strong and steady as we move into the next few weeks of the season.
Skala Field Station
Over the past 2 weeks, our staff and volunteers have seen lots more exciting wildlife while on snorkel surveys and during their free time, including a cuttlefish, a starfish, lots of fish species, and more loggerhead turtles!
We have also had a changeover of staff, with Liam moving to Argostoli, and Orlaith and Claire arriving from Svoronata
With the arrival of the new staff, we are excited to start running bird surveys at Skala. In just a few days, the team has identified six new bird species in the area, including a Little Owl and a Hoopoe. We are excited to see what other species we can identify once we start bird surveys with volunteers!
