Aegean Sea Marine Mammal Center

This Center is intended to carry out a 3-part mission: • Rescuing, nursing, rehabilitating and releasing stranded, sick or injured marine mammals • Fostering relevant scientific research • Promoting multiple informative activities that stimulate ecological awareness focusing on the crucial human-and-sea-life relationship

A unique case of rescuing an injured newborn Mediterranean Monk seal ignited our interest for the project. In November 2014 the female pup was found stranded at Skopelos, in the North Sporades. Her critical condition compelled immediate transfer to Athens Zoo. Thanks to an Environmental NGO, intensive treatment was applied. Despite its happy end, that incident exposed the total absence of an officially run body -and respective health care facilities- regarding the protection and conservation of marine mammals in Greece. The ongoing decline of marine fauna over the past years as well as the increasing number of endangered species, call for the enforcement of marine environment protection policies by all EU countries; the main objective is to raise public awareness and turn people from an unknowing enemy to a conscious ally. Accordingly, our project aims to raise public awareness combined with the support and development of scientific research as the fundamental tools towards the accomplishment of the above goals. Through environmental awareness, the public may further respect and contribute to the maintenance and stability of the marine habitat. Furthermore, scientific research may determine problems and, hence, apply proper solutions. Conclusively, the idea of developing a collaboration network involving a range of environmental organizations, academic research, volunteers as well as the public administration, would be an essential response to the problem. This is the context in which we propose the first Greek Marine Mammal Center on a rocky promontory at Paliouri, Chalkidiki: a multifunctional establishment meant as both the basis of such network and a balanced study of the landscape-architecture interaction. It provides premises for the rehabilitation of animals, a scientific research sector, and various spaces allotted to informative and recreational activities.