FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Children visiting Cyprus’s “Sea” Museum helped release a rehabilitated green sea turtle named Pieros back into the wild on July 31, in a hands-on conservation event hosted by the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research.
Pieros, an adult male suffering from exhaustion and buoyancy problems, was admitted to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center at the Cyprus Marine Aquaculture Research Center in Meneou on June 27. After nearly a month of care, he passed final tests for swimming, diving and feeding, and was deemed fit to return to the sea.
The release was part of the LIFE ADAPTS project, an international conservation program that includes protection efforts for loggerhead and green sea turtles, as well as Mediterranean monk seals. Participating groups from Cyprus, Italy and Greece are deploying technologies like eDNA, satellite tracking and drone surveillance, along with citizen science programs involving volunteers and divers.
Beyond the release, children and accompanying adults learned about DFMR’s marine research and biodiversity programs. Eleven EU teachers also attended the event, receiving a presentation on DFMR’s education and outreach efforts.