Among the Stones
It had been ten years since I had been in Greece collecting data on loggerheads nesting at Vounaki Beach in the Peloponnese. The last time, I had rushed through Athens on my way to the beach, but after the Symposium there was some leisure time to visit the city and its history. Like for many others, the Parthenon was a must-see. The ruins left one marveling at what had once been a glorious period, but as we wandered back down from the Parthenon, another discovery among the stones filled us with delight!
Now which turtler’s heart wouldn’t warm to such a sight?!
These were identified as marginated tortoises, Testudo marginata, endemic to Greece. We found four specimens wandering among the ancient stones, the poppies, and the pis-en-lit in the gardens of the Acropolis somewhat incongruous with the modern graffiti, train tracks, and cafes in the background...
