This blog was written by Global Gap Fellow Emma Senneville.
Today is October 6th. I am sitting on my balcony, feet propped up on a chair, and enjoying my view of Mounda Bay with music blasting in my ears. This morning, I did my routine patrol of the bay and had a beautiful rainbow form in front of me before I realized the rain was coming. I then started to sprint, but I was too late. I was going to get wet regardless, so I tilted my head up, rain droplets dripping down my face, and I started laughing. It was one of those moments I knew I’d remember for the rest of my time on this Earth.
As for what I’ve been up to, that’s a lot. I start off my mornings at 6 am and take the 6-mile trek up and down Mounda Bay, surveying all 365 nests. I check for tracks, potential animal attacks, and any disturbances. As the season has wound down, I am now responsible for digging up all of those nests, excavating them, and recording data like how many hatched/unhatched eggs remain and if they were unhatched, what state they are in, and how deep the nest is (typically averaging 50cm). I also check if any remaining baby turtles are in the nest, and if there are, I check their state. If they are good to go, being that they are fully formed and their egg yolk is fully absorbed, I get to release them. If not, I take them back to our facility for incubation and observation. After that, I typically have the rest of the day to do as I please and typically end the day doing some data entry in the Katelios public database. With that description, I thoroughly enjoy this work. The director is absolutely passionate about this project, and her excitement radiates onto me. She has wholeheartedly welcomed me into her home and family; I could not be more grateful for this experience. We have shared many meals and many laughs. My two favorite parts of this project are being able to rescue the babies and aid in any way I can and waking up to a stunning sunset each morning.
Here are a few fun facts of many I’ve learned:
1) The incubation period for the eggs is typically 55-60 days but has moved to 43-47 days due to the gradual rise of global temperatures.
2) When the eggs are incubating, the warmer the egg is, the more likely that baby turtle will be a female.
3) There has been a positive exponential climb of nests on Mounda Bay, this year breaking the record forthe most nests laid ever. Scientists theorize that since global temperatures are rising, more
female turtles are being produced, leading to more nests being laid. Though no one knows if
this is the cause or a positive change, it has increased the population of the Caretta caretta
(Loggerhead) sea turtles.
Now, outside of work, I have participated in many activities. Some include snorkeling, two scuba dives, hiking, reading on the beach, and many beautiful dinners with locals and my director. The food is fantastic. I have tried pork/chicken souvlaki, gyros, tzatziki, tiropita, fasolada, the famous Kefalonian meat pie, and many more foods I can’t quite remember the name of. I also took a trip to the mainland, took a ferry to Kyllini, and then drove to Ancient Olympia, where I got to see the ruins of the Olympic City, created around three thousand years ago. It was surreal and unbelievable. That was a trip I will never forget.
I have adjusted well here in Katelios. I am learning how to be independent, how to live
on my own, and who I am as a person. So far, I have learned more than I could have ever
imagined—not only about this incredible project but also about myself. I cannot wait for the adventures to come and the many memories I have yet to make. That’s it for now. Have an
awesome day, y’all!