Last week, Archipelagos Institute’s Rapid Response Unit were called out to recover two more stranded rare marine species: a Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and a Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). The unit were informed by both local residents and the Port Authority of Samos and the recovery occurred in shallow waters off the North coast of the island.
The good news came at the weekend. An injured female falcon (Falco eleonorae) was found – A migrating raptor, of the Falconidae family, that has adapted the timing of its breeding to coincide with the southern migration of passerines from northern climes. A reclusive bird of prey, with two thirds of the global population found to breed on the small uninhabited islands of the Aegean, that comes to feed over the larger neighbouring islands such as Samos. The bird had been found by a local resident on the road side and was unable to fly. Luckily the injury was superficial, and within 24 hours this majestic predator was fit for release back in to its natural environment.