27th E.U.A.C Meeting (02nd – 06th October 2010)
The story of a Cuttlefish
WP1 Metadata workshop and 2nd ODEMM meeting
Live Silver-cheeked Toadfish at CretaquariumWelcome to |
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Ariadne unravels her thread… 
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Today was a special, emotionally charged day for all the staff at Cretaquarium Thalassocosmos. The reason for this was the release of a Caretta Caretta turtle, which was returned to its habitat after being cared for by scientists at the aquarium. The turtle stayed here for approximately 15 months to fully recover from injuries,
At the release beach, all necessary steps had been taken in advance to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Divers from the aquarium and the HCMR inflatable boat were on hand to supervise the sea area, ready to intervene if necessary.
Schoolchildren of all ages gathered on the beach, eagerly awaiting the unique experience involved in a release. Staff from the aquarium, as well as from the Archelon Sea Turtle Protection Society, were there to talk to them about the Caretta Caretta and the importance of a clean marine environment, both for the dwellers of the depths and for humankind.
The turtle arrived shortly after 11am, accompanied by scientists from the aquarium. Whenever rescued, turtles are given names. In this case the ‘godfather’ was Mr. Serapheim Tsokas, General Secretary of the Region of Crete, who chose the name Ariadne. “Just as the mythical Ariadne used her thread to find the way out of the labyrinth to freedom, so our turtle is today to find her way back to her natural environment, thanks to the enormous efforts of scientists at the aquarium,” as Mr. Tsokas so aptly put it.
Tension mounted as the scientists released the turtle onto the beach. After her initial surprise, Ariadne slowly but steadily made her way down to the sea. She then pulled away from the beach with powerful, rapid flipper strokes, to mounting enthusiasm from the onlookers, not least the young!
The tale of Ariadne serves to remind us once more of the need to respect marine life. At the same time, it encourages us to take steps towards raising public awareness of issues concerning marine conservation. The smiles and applause of the youngsters were our greatest reward.
And since a picture is worth a thousand words ….
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