Wildlife Recovery Survey: Marine Survey at Theotokos Beach - October 6, 2024

© Chris Taklis - Platanus orientalis

The September 2023 floods in Pelion, Greece, were a devastating natural disaster, with significant ecological consequences for both terrestrial and marine ecosystems in the region. Our project, Wildlife Recovery Survey: After the September 2023 Floods in Pelion (Greece), aims to assess the impact of these floods on local biodiversity through comprehensive wildlife surveys in the affected areas.

​During the marine survey conducted on October 6, 2024, the entire sea area of Theotokos Beach showed no signs of marine life, except for scattered dead leaves of Posidonia oceanica. However, a small section measuring approximately 10 meters by 4 meters was an exception. This area contained a submerged Plane tree (Platanus orientalis) and fragments of broken concrete from the boat slip, debris left behind by the September 2023 floods. Only in this zone were any fish and marine species observed, which, based on previous years' surveys, are unusually rare for this location and time of year.

© Chris Taklis - Fragments of broken concrete from the boat slip.

© Chris Taklis - Fragments of broken concrete from the boat slip.

We recorded the following 14 species:

• Arbacia lixula (Black Sea Urchin) – 2
• Chromis chromis (Mediterranean Damselfish) – 6
• Coris julis (Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse) – 3
• Diplodus sargus (Sargo) – 3
• Diplodus vulgaris (Common Two-banded Seabream) – 1
• Epinephelus costae (Gold Blotch Grouper) – 1
• Lithognathus mormyrus (Striped Seabream) – 2
• Oblada melanurus (Saddled Seabream) – 5
• Oedalechilus labeo (Boxlip Mullet) – 5
• Parablennius sanguinolentus (Rusty Blenny) – 1
• Patella caerulea (Mediterranean Limpet) – 1
• Sarpa salpa (Salema Porgy) – 24
• Serranus cabrilla (Comber) – 1
• Serranus scriba (Painted Comber) – 3

© Chris Taklis - Oblada melanurus next to the submerged Platanus orientalis.