Apart from the beautiful sandy beaches with crystal clear deep waters and landscapes that will leave you breathless, there is another reason to visit Kefalonia, especially if you are a nature lover. And this reason is the fauna of the island and especially its endangered species. One of the most interesting species is the Caretta Caretta Caretta, which roams around the beaches of the island and the port of Argostoli.
Greece and the Mediterranean. They can be distinguished from other sea turtles by their large heads, reddish-brown shells and yellow-brown skin, and are considered to be one of the oldest species in the world. An adult Caretta reaches a length of 1.0 – 1.2 m, weighs between 100-350 kg and can live for about 65 years.
Females appear to give birth in nests on average three to five times in one spawning season, while the spawning process occurs mainly at night throughout the summer, as they are dragged out to beaches beyond the high tide mark and dig nests, in which about 100 eggs are laid. After about 60-70 days the eggs hatch and the newborn turtles emerge, especially at night, when the risk from predators is lower. Then they are attracted by the moonlight, and gravity, to the sea.
On the island of Kefalonia, there are several beaches where one could find the Caretta Caretta and their nests. The island is one of the northernmost spawning grounds for sea turtles in the world. The main area for nests is below Ratzakli in the bay of Mounta, between Skala and Katelios, while many others are scattered on all the beaches of the island, such as Megali Ammos and Ammes beach in Minies, Makry Gialos in Lassi or at Mega Lakko in Lixouri.
But if you really want to see a live adult loggerhead loggerhead turtle in Kefalonia you can go to the Koutavos Lagoon in Argostoli. You can find them near the Devosetos bridge and along the waterfront, where they sometimes follow the fishing boats and swim around in search of food.
It is worth mentioning that there is another endangered species that can be found in Kefalonia, the Mediterranean monk seal (or also known as Monks-Monks). It is considered to be the most endangered animal in Europe and lives mainly in the Mediterranean Sea.
It is amazing even to see these creatures for a moment! However, it is also our responsibility as human beings to respect them and to take care of their protection. Look for them and be surprised by them, but let them live peacefully and continue their journey.
