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.
​
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.

Today’s survey at Liri Beach focused on the common stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca). These rays spend the day resting on the sandy seabed, sometimes half buried with only their eyes and spiracles visible. Careful observation helps us note their abundance and distribution along the coast, building a clearer picture of how they use this habitat.

As part of the survey, we also checked inside one of the sea caves near the beach. We already know that these caves are used by Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus), so we entered with caution. In the middle of the cave, a male seal suddenly appeared and swam directly toward us.

Today, we carried out a focused marine survey at Liri Beach, South Pelion, at 4-meters depth, dedicated to the observation and documentation of the Common Stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca). This species is a familiar yet often overlooked inhabitant of Mediterranean coastal waters, and our aim is to better understand its local presence, behavior, and habitat preferences.

About the Common Stingray

The Common Stingray is a benthic species, usually resting on sandy or muddy seabeds, often partially buried and well camouflaged. It can grow up to 140 cm in length, with a disc-shaped body and a long whip-like tail that carries a venomous spine used for defense. Although generally non-aggressive, stingrays can inflict painful stings if disturbed, which makes observing them with care essential.

They feed mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates and small fish, playing an important ecological role in maintaining the balance of benthic communities. In Greece, they are considered relatively common, but systematic data on their abundance and seasonal movements are still limited.

We have compiled a map of purple jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) records for August.

Most sightings, as expected, were concentrated in the North Evoikos Gulf and the Pagasitikos Gulf. These semi-enclosed gulfs tend to trap jellyfish populations, allowing them to remain for longer periods.

Although summer has ended for most, it is important to remember that a purple jellyfish outbreak can last up to four years. Monitoring continues throughout the winter, and next summer we are likely to see them again, potentially in new areas as well.
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If you spot jellyfish of any species, we encourage you to take photos and upload them to iNaturalist (preferred) or share them in the Facebook group.

Citizen science is an essential tool for monitoring and keeping the public informed!

🙏 Thank you to all citizen scientists and observers contributing to the effort. Every sighting counts!

#PelagiaNoctiluca #PurpleJellyfish #AegeanSea #JellyfishBloom #PelagiaLogbook #CitizenScience #MermanConservation

​The bloom of the Mauve Stinger jellyfish, Pelagia noctiluca, continues in the Aegean Sea. New observations have been added to the Pelagia Logbook, helping us understand the extent and movement of this natural phenomenon.

📍 See where sightings have been recorded
📊 Follow monthly updates
🔎 Learn how to identify and stay safe

➡️ Check the full update here:
https://www.mermanconservation.co.uk/pelagia-logbook-aegean-sea-2025.html

🙏 Thank you to all citizen scientists and observers contributing to the effort. Every sighting counts!

#PelagiaNoctiluca #PurpleJellyfish #AegeanSea #JellyfishBloom #PelagiaLogbook #CitizenScience #MermanConservation

​🦇 Bat Survey Success in Radakia Beach (South Pelion)

Yesterday evening, we carried out a low-impact bat survey at Radakia beach, South Pelion, following our sea cave protocol:
🔗 Survey Protocol - https://www.mermanconservation.co.uk/uploads/8/8/6/1/886111/low-impact-bat-survey-protocol-for-sea-caves_orig.jpg

In just 15 minutes, using minimal light and keeping noise to a minimum, we managed to survey the two species known to frequent the area:
✅ Miniopterus schreibersii
✅ Rhinolophus euryale

We successfully photographed the bats and key identifying features, made population estimates, and observed fascinating juvenile behaviors.

A small effort with valuable data for conservation 🦇🌊
#BatSurvey #SouthPelion #SeaCaveEcology #MermanConservation #GreekBats #RadakiaBeach #ChiropteraConservation

On June 23, 2025, our team surveyed the coastal waters of Vlachorema in South Pelion, Greece. The area revealed a vibrant mosaic of marine life, ranging from well-known fish to colorful nudibranchs, algae, bryozoans, and more. Below is a categorized list of the species recorded during our dive.

​Fish

• Saddled Seabream (Oblada melanurus)
• Sargo (Diplodus sargus)
• Common Two-banded Seabream (Diplodus vulgaris)
• Annular Seabream (Diplodus annularis)
• Striped Seabream (Lithognathus mormyrus)
• Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)
• Salema Porgy (Sarpa salpa)
• Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse (Coris julis)
• Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo)
• East Atlantic Peacock Wrasse (Symphodus tinca)
• Mediterranean Cardinalfish (Apogon imberbis)
• Mediterranean Damselfish (Chromis chromis)
• Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus)
• European Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense)
• Southern Sand Smelt (Atherina hepsetus)
• Striped Red Mullet (Mullus surmuletus)
• Mullets (Family Mugilidae)

Nudibranchs and Sea Slugs

• Elysia (Elysia timida)
  
  

Crustaceans

• Tube Hermit Crab (Calcinus tubularis)
• Leptomysis buergii (Mysid shrimp species)

Sponges

• Oyster Sponge (Crambe crambe)
• Kidney Sponge (Chondrosia reniformis)

Algae and Seagrasses

• Neptune Grass (Posidonia oceanica)
• Mermaid’s Wine Glass (Acetabularia acetabulum)
• Pennyweed (Halimeda tuna)
• ​Peackock's tail (Padina pavonica)

Worms and Tube-dwellers

• Red-spotted Horseshoe (Protula tubularia)

Bryozoans

• Purple Encrusting Bryozoan (Reptadeonella violacea)

Echinoderms

• Black Sea Urchin (Arbacia lixula)