Sea turtles are best known for their presence on nesting beaches during the summer. However, their lives and behaviour in Greek waters throughout the rest of the year remain largely unknown.

In the Posidonia seagrass meadows of the Aegean Sea, we frequently encounter sea turtles, primarily loggerhead turtles, but also green turtles. These invaluable underwater “forests” provide them with food and safe shelter throughout the year.

Each sea turtle possesses unique characteristics that allow us to identify individual animals.

Through systematic monitoring in selected seagrass meadows, researchers at the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation track sea turtle populations year-round and record their behaviour. By photographing and analysing their morphological features, they create photo-identification catalogues for each turtle encountered. This enables researchers to recognise individual turtles when they are sighted again, even in different locations.

By addressing the many gaps in our knowledge about these particularly important inhabitants of our seas, we can better understand how to contribute more effectively to their conservation.