The endangered loggerhead turtle has lost its most important sanctuary in the Mediterranean after the Greek government forced the closure of a marine park by diverting funds to the Olympic Games.
Government economists privately admit that the Olympics are acting like a cash sponge in Greece, and while summer sportsmen are promised state-of-the-art venues, the country is cutting other costs to balance its books.
The beaches of Zakynthos Marine National Park were previously under 24-hour guard during the nesting season from May to August. But the eight staff and 36 wardens have not been paid for almost a year after the Greek ministry of environment and public works, which is responsible for both the park and much Olympic building work, cut all its funds.
"The government says that it has not renewed the salaries of park employees because it is spending all its money on the Olympics," said Kostas Grimanis, a spokesman for the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, known as Archelon.
Volunteers, including several Britons, have taken up many of the duties of absent park wardens since May. They say that local tourism bosses have begun aggressively expanding their businesses, moving in to exploit the beaches that were once the preserve of the turtles.
Last year more than 1,200 loggerhead nests were recorded in the park. So far this year, about 450 have been noted, with some sites formerly popular with the turtles now barren.
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