Two friends who went fishing on Sunday had the fortune of becoming witnesses to a rare natural sight, as they saw two large sea turtles in the middle of the reproduction process! The friends had gone fishing in the region of Argolis in the north-west Peloponnese when they noticed a splash on the water surface. They slowly approached the source of the turbulent waters to investigate, and to their astonishment, two sea turtles were making sure the species continues to exist…They quickly took out their smartphones and recorded the moment making sure they did not disturb the sea creatures.
The breeding process of sea turtles is fascinating. It all begins when they migrate thousands of miles to the breeding sites, to find a partner for mating. Once a male finds a female candidate, the former courtship her by maintaining physical contact with the flippers or slightly biting the neck and the tail. If she does not accept it, then she submerges and tries to flee, but if she agrees, the male climbs on the back of the partner’s shell and holds it with its front claws to perform the sexual intercourse. This action is carried out underwater very close to the surface, or at the surface.
Many females have claw marks on their flippers, and although this is believed to be painful for them, it is part of their nature.