Unprecedented attacks by sea turtles are been reported from the area of Mani in South Peloponnese. Approximately 40 swimmers have been attacked by sea turtles, the director of the health Center of Areopolis, Anargyros Margiolis told media.
The incidents have occurred in Limeni of Mani and according to local authorities no similar attacks had occurred in the past.
Speaking to private Open TV, Margiolis said that people feed the sea animals with the effect that they start to associate humans with food.
“Visitors have to understand that sea turtles have to be treated like wild animals and that they should not be fed, as they associate the food with humans and become aggressive,” he said.:
“Visitors see the animals approaching them in order to be fed and they react thus biting them,” he added.
The director of the Health Center said that sea turtles are known to be carriers of salmonella bacteria and the immediate treatment of somebody bitten by a turtles is antibiotics and tetanus vaccine.
