Brighton Sea Life Centre Turtle Festival this June
Brighton Sea Life Centre is to host a week of turtle activities to celebrate the imminent launch of a new sea turtle rescue centre in the Mediterranean.
Donations from Sea Life visitors have raised around £200,000 (€240,000) to build the centre on the Greek island of Zakynthos.
Its completion will mean injured loggerhead turtles found around the island’s shores can receive speedy treatment and care, rather than face an eight-hour journey to the next nearest facility in Athens.
“The Rescue Centre will be able to take in casualties by early June at the latest,” said Max Leviston, General Manager.
“The island is the most important loggerhead nesting site in the Mediterranean, but numbers are in decline due to the impact of the tourist industry.
“Every adult turtle saved by the new Centre and free to continue breeding could be vital to their future survival.”
Sea Life is the world’s first aquarium chain to establish a working marine life rescue-station, and does not intend its support to end there.
“We will send our own staff to help run the facility and to join volunteers working for Zakynthos-based NGO Earth, Sea & Sky in monitoring and protecting turtle nests,” said Max Leviston.
“And we are continuing to raise funds to help off-set operating costs such as veterinary bills.”
Fundraising during the Centre’s special ‘Turtle Festival’ which runs from 2 June to 10 June, will be run alongside a host more turtle-themed activities, including;
Sea turtle quiz trail • Art and crafts • Talks • Photo opportunity
“Our visitors are going to have great fun and learn all about sea turtles and their conservation needs in the process,” said Max.
The Sea Life Centre also boasts a great many other attractions of course, with dozens of spectacular display housing more than a hundred different species of sea creatures.
For all things Brighton & Hove: www.visitbrighton.com
