Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd has submitted a formal scientific proposal to the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy for the protection of the coastal marine area of Liri, South East Pelion, based on field data collected since 2023, complemented by records from BiodiversityGR covering 2018 to 2022.

Despite its ecological significance, the area is under repeated pressure from professional and recreational fishermen who set nets directly adjacent to the breeding caves, placing both seal pups and stingrays at serious risk of entanglement and disturbance.
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Our proposal includes six specific requests: designation as a Wildlife Refuge, a 300-metre fishing exclusion zone around the caves during the pupping season, a permanent ban on fishing gear near the cave entrances year-round, official signage and notices to local fishing communities, inclusion in the national registry of critical elasmobranch habitats, and a formal monitoring mandate for Merman Conservation in the area.

Today’s fieldwork across Liri and Skino revealed a rich and active butterfly community, reflecting the mosaic of habitats that define this part of South East Pelion. From open scrub and dry grasslands to woodland edges and cultivated patches, the diversity we recorded highlights how even small landscapes can support a remarkable range of Lepidoptera.

We documented twelve species during the survey:

🦋 Iphiclides podalirius
🦋 Celastrina argiolus
🦋 Melitaea cinxia
🦋 Pontia chlorodice
🦋 Pieris brassicae
🦋 Pararge aegeria
🦋 Polyommatus icarus
🦋 Colias croceus
🦋 Lampides boeticus
🦋 Gonepteryx cleopatra
🦋 Maniola jurtina
🦋 Aricia agestis

The presence of larger, highly mobile species such as Iphiclides podalirius and Colias croceus, alongside smaller, habitat-sensitive species such as Aricia agestis and Polyommatus icarus, suggests a healthy ecological gradient. Woodland indicators like Pararge aegeria were observed in shaded areas, while open-habitat specialists such as Melitaea cinxia and Pontia chlorodice were active in sunlit clearings and dry fields.

Particularly encouraging was the mix of resident breeders and migratory or dispersive species. Lampides boeticus, known for its mobility, and Gonepteryx cleopatra, a characteristic Mediterranean species, underline the connectivity of these habitats within the wider landscape.

These observations reinforce the ecological value of Liri and Skino as micro-hotspots for butterfly diversity. Continued monitoring will be essential to understand seasonal dynamics, population trends, and potential pressures from land use changes or climate shifts.

This kind of field documentation contributes not only to local biodiversity knowledge but also to broader conservation efforts. Even short surveys like today’s provide valuable data points in building a clearer picture of species distribution across Greece.

We are opening applications for the Wildlife Tech Grant: a programme that builds free custom web applications for small wildlife and conservation organisations that lack the budget to commission digital tools themselves.

Conservation work is often resource-constrained. Fieldwork, species monitoring, volunteer coordination, and public reporting all generate data and operational needs that a well-built digital tool could serve well. And yet for many small groups and informal organisations, commissioning bespoke software is simply out of reach financially.

The Merman Conservation Wildlife Tech Grants exist to close that gap in a small but practical way. Each year, Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd. will choose a limited number of projects and build a custom web application for the accepted organisation, free of charge. At completion, the code is handed over entirely. The organisation owns it.

Why we created this programme

Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd. is a UK-registered company working in marine biology, wildlife surveying, and ecological research. Over the years, we have collaborated with grassroots conservation groups carrying out valuable work despite having limited resources and infrastructure. Through this experience, we understand the challenges they face and the barriers that can make growth and expansion difficult.

A recurring pattern became clear: data was being collected on paper, in spreadsheets, or not at all, not because people were not committed, but because there was no straightforward path to a digital tool that fit the specific need. Generic platforms rarely fit well. Custom development is expensive. Grant funding for technology is inconsistent.

We have the technical capacity to build these tools. The Tech Grant is how we put that capacity to use for organisations that need it.

What we can build

The programme is not limited to a fixed format. We scope the tool around what the organisation actually needs. Past requests we have considered and built towards include:
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• Species sighting and logging tools
• Species field guides
• Project dashboards
• Public-facing data maps
• Incident and encounter reporting forms
• Survey data collection interfaces
• Simple internal monitoring portals
• Citizen science submission tools
• Population tracking systems
• and more

If your organisation has a specific operational problem that a web-based tool could address, we want to hear about it. We do not restrict the programme to marine or coastal conservation. Wildlife and ecological fieldwork of any kind is within scope.

What you receive

A working web application built to your specification, with source code and basic documentation handed over on completion.

What we do not provide

Ongoing maintenance, technical support after handover, or hosting costs. Your team will need the capacity to manage a simple web deployment.

Who can apply?

Small teams and informal groups working in wildlife or ecological conservation. Registration as a charity is not required.

Capacity

A small number of projects per year. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Early and well-prepared applications have a stronger chance.

​​How to apply

Applications are submitted via the form on our website. We ask for your organisation name and background, your conservation focus, a clear description of the tool you need and why, your team's technical capacity, and your expected timeline.

There is no complex process. We read every application carefully and respond with either an acceptance, a request for more information, or a rejection with a brief explanation of the reason.

If accepted, we schedule a brief scoping conversation to define the project properly before any build work begins.
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A note on rejections​

Most applications will be rejected. We want to be direct about this because we think it is respectful of applicants' time to say so plainly.

Common reasons for rejection include: the request is too large or complex for the format we offer; the organisation already has adequate technical resources; the described need does not clearly map to what a web application can solve; the application does not provide enough information to assess the project; or the work falls outside wildlife and ecological conservation. A rejection is not a judgment of the quality or importance of your conservation work. If we say no, we will always tell you why.

You are welcome to reapply in a future cycle if circumstances change or if you can address the reason given.

The first butterfly observations of 2026 were recorded today during a short transect and additional random observations around the hills and fields of Liri and Skino in South Pelion.

Despite the early season, several spring species were already active, indicating the beginning of the butterfly activity period in the area.

Here is what was observed today:

🦋 Large White (Pieris brassicae)
🦋 Small White (Pieris rapae)
🦋 Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
🦋 Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
🦋 Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra)
🦋 Eastern Dappled White (Euchloe ausonia)
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A promising start for the 2026 butterfly season in South Pelion. More surveys will follow as temperatures continue to rise and spring vegetation develops.

Why Recording Loss Is Essential for Understanding the Sea

​Marine monitoring often focuses on what we can see alive in the water. Species presence, sightings, behavior, and distribution form the backbone of many conservation projects. Yet an equally important signal of ecosystem health is often overlooked. What is being lost?

Under Project WOOP, we are launching a new community-based monitoring initiative in Greece, the Pagasetic Marine Mortality Logbook. This subproject is dedicated to systematically recording dead marine animals found within the Pagasetic Gulf, including dolphins, seals, sea turtles, sharks, rays, and other large marine species.

The Pagasetic Gulf is a semi-enclosed marine system with high levels of human activity. Fishing, shipping, coastal development, tourism, and pollution all interact within a relatively small area. Every year, locals, fishers, and visitors observe stranded or floating marine animals. These observations are usually isolated, undocumented, and quickly forgotten. As a result, valuable information about mortality patterns is lost.

Why a mortality logbook matters

Dead animals are not just unfortunate incidents. They are data points. When recorded properly, they can reveal trends that are otherwise invisible.

Repeated strandings of the same species in specific seasons may point to bycatch pressure or environmental stress. Injuries, decomposition state, and location can hint at vessel strikes, fishing gear interaction, disease, or pollution. Sudden increases in reports may signal unusual mortality events that require attention from researchers or authorities.

Without a structured logbook, these signals remain fragmented. Individual observations cannot be connected, compared, or analyzed over time. The Pagasetic Marine Mortality Logbook aims to change this by creating a consistent, long-term dataset focused entirely on marine losses.

A dynamic and transparent project page

A key element of this project is transparency. The dedicated page on our website is dynamic and updates automatically. Every validated data entry submitted to the logbook becomes visible on the project page, allowing anyone to see the growing dataset in real time.

This means the project is not a static report that updates once a year. It is a living record. As new observations are added, the numbers, summaries, and visual information on the page change accordingly. This approach allows the public, researchers, and decision makers to follow trends as they develop, not months or years later.

By making the data visible, the project encourages trust, engagement, and a shared sense of responsibility. Contributors can see how their reports fit into the bigger picture of marine mortality in the Pagasetic Gulf.

From isolated reports to long-term understanding

At present, there is no dedicated public record that brings together marine mortality data for the Pagasetic Gulf. Reports may appear on social media, local news, or remain known only to the person who encountered the animal. This makes it impossible to assess scale, frequency, or change.

By documenting each case in a standardized way, the project builds continuity. Over time, this allows patterns to emerge. Which species are most affected. Where mortalities are concentrated. Whether events are increasing or decreasing. How human activity overlaps with observed losses.

This approach does not replace scientific necropsies or official investigations. Instead, it complements them by filling a critical observational gap at the community level.

The role of citizens in marine science

One of the strongest aspects of this project is participation. Fishers, sailors, divers, coastal residents, and visitors are often the first to encounter dead marine animals. Their observations are invaluable.

The Pagasetic Marine Mortality Logbook transforms these encounters into meaningful contributions. A single report may seem insignificant on its own, but combined with others, it becomes part of a much larger picture of ecosystem health.​Community involvement also strengthens environmental awareness. Recording loss encourages people to think beyond individual incidents and consider cumulative impacts on marine life.

Looking forward

This project is not about sensationalism or blame. It is about visibility. You cannot protect what you do not measure, and you cannot understand an ecosystem by looking only at its living parts.
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By focusing on marine mortality, the Pagasetic Marine Mortality Logbook adds a missing layer to marine monitoring in the region. Over time, the collected data can support research, inform conservation planning, and help detect emerging problems before they escalate.​

​The sea tells its story not only through what survives, but also through what disappears. This project is an effort to listen more carefully.

We are proud to announce that Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd has officially obtained WildBehave – European Observatory of Wildlife Behavior Research and Conservation.

Following this integration, the WildBehave observatory will cease its independent operations. All ongoing projects, tools, and datasets, including the Universal Indicator Meter, are now fully managed and expanded by Merman Conservation.

Merman Conservation will continue and enhance the work of the observatory, turning citizen observations, field surveys, and advanced analytics into actionable insights on wildlife behaviour across Europe. The expanded platform provides measurable indicators of animal activity, movement patterns, habitat use, and stress levels, helping conservation teams detect ecological changes early and respond with science-based strategies.

Christos Taklis and the WildBehave team are credited for their pioneering work in creating the Universal Indicator Meter and establishing the foundational research. Merman Conservation is now leading the next phase of European wildlife behaviour research and conservation.

This transition marks a major step forward for wildlife protection and science-based conservation in Europe. Stay tuned for new updates from the field, data releases, and opportunities to participate in the expanded European wildlife behaviour network.

The year 2025 marked a phase of consolidation and strategic maturity for Merman Conservation. Activities expanded across research, artificial intelligence, policy engagement, and public outreach, forming an integrated conservation ecosystem. The organisation moved beyond individual projects toward a stable role as a knowledge hub supporting biodiversity monitoring, decision-making, and environmental stewardship at national and international levels.

Research and Field Activities
During 2025, Merman Conservation conducted fifteen wildlife surveys and launched five new projects. These initiatives strengthened long-term ecological monitoring and addressed emerging conservation challenges. Flagship projects included Exotic Encounters Mapping Alien Species, Pelagia Logbook Aegean Sea 2025, Corals of Greece, Mauve Stinger Logbook Wales, and the continued development of the WOOP Project under Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd.

These efforts combined field observations with structured datasets, enabling comparative analysis across regions and taxa.

Scientific Publications
Five peer-reviewed publications were produced in 2025, reflecting a broad thematic scope and strong scientific output. Topics included mammal behaviour, bat biodiversity, marine ecology, tourism pressure on coastal ecosystems, and predictive modelling of jellyfish movement. The introduction of Predictive Displacement Theory established a novel AI-assisted framework for understanding species displacement patterns and positioned the organisation at the forefront of applied conservation science.

Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence
A major pillar of 2025 was the development of digital conservation infrastructure. Merman Conservation released seventeen public-facing AI tools and maintained fifteen internal AI systems supporting research workflows, manuscript preparation, data harmonisation, risk assessment, and species identification.

Six AI Field Guides were launched, covering seals, corals, sharks, nudibranchs, butterflies, and regional marine biodiversity. These tools improved accessibility to expert knowledge and strengthened citizen science engagement. The Android application Jellyfish in Greece further expanded public participation by linking biodiversity observations with structured datasets.

Policy Engagement and Public Consultation
Merman Conservation actively participated in policy processes throughout 2025. The organisation contributed to twelve public consultations in Scotland, one in England, and one at the European level. It also joined a collective statement signed by 213 organisations calling on Member States to maintain the protection status of the wolf.

In parallel, on-site wildlife assessments and practical guidance were provided to farmers and landowners experiencing conflicts with wildlife, translating scientific knowledge into applied solutions.

Partnerships and Networks
Four new strategic partnerships strengthened data sharing and institutional credibility. These included collaborations with GBIF and VLIZ as data publishers, Shark References, and BiodiversityGR for the Pelagia project. Through these partnerships, Merman Conservation datasets became part of the global biodiversity information infrastructure.

Institutional Development
Significant institutional milestones were achieved in 2025. The Zoologica Nexus Lab was established as a dedicated research and survey unit. The scientific journal Marine Notes was launched to support the open dissemination of applied ecological research. Three Intellectual Property Tokens were registered, reinforcing a long-term strategy for knowledge ownership and sustainability. Additional achievements included the Wise Scheme Certificate, expanded outreach materials, conservation guides, ebooks, and ISNI registration.

Communication and Outreach
Public communication remained a core priority. The podcast: The AI Conservationist was released weekly throughout the year, supported by video content, conservation posters, and practical protocols addressing bats, seals, and invasive species such as lionfish. These materials strengthened dialogue between scientists, practitioners, and the wider public.

Conclusion
The year 2025 represents a turning point for Merman Conservation. The organisation now operates as a multidisciplinary conservation platform integrating science, technology, and policy. Future priorities will focus on deepening impact, evaluating long-term outcomes, and securing stable resources to sustain growth while maintaining scientific integrity and societal relevance.

🌍 Environment ministers: the decision is in your hands.
One year ago, Europe signed away the right to live for wolves. All politics - no consideration of science, conservation experts, and hundreds of civil society organisations.

In our joint letter, more than 200 organisations are calling on you: You have the power to be people’s and nature’s hero:
✅ Protect wolves, listen to science, and resist the attacks on countless other species and nature
✅ Defend the work in conservation, education and co-existence practices in your country

This is more than a policy choice - it’s a moral responsibility. The eyes of citizens and future generations are on you.
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 Defend science. Defend nature. Defend people.​