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SACRED
STONE PEOPLES
LODGE
PAGE CONTENT
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About Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge Ceremonies
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Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge Gathering May 2-4,2025
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Suggestions on How to Prepare for the Gathering
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Registration
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About Cres
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Accommodation Information
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Travel Information
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Other Activities (Local Herbalists, Boat Rides, Griffon Vulture Rescue Center, Dophins, Mediteranean Monk Seals, and Sea Turtle Rescue Center) ...
ABOUT
SACRED STONE PEOPLES LODGE CEREMONIES
Stone Peoples Lodge is an ancient Sacred ceremony used by the indigenous and the earth-centered peoples, as a purification rite for the body, mind, soul, and spirit.
The name of the ceremony describes our relationship with the stone people who are gathered in a loving and respectful way, heated in a Fire ceremony and brought into the Lodge to generate heat and steam.
Sometimes, the Lodge is called the Sweat Lodge!
The ceremony involves building the Sacred Fire to invoke the Guardians and Keepers of the Seven Sacred Directions to be with us and guide us and to heat the stones. As we place the stone people into the Fire, we honor with gratitude, love and reverence our Sacred relationship with the stone people and their giveaway for our health and wellbeing. When stone people are ready, people come into the Lodge, and water is poured on the stones in a Sacred ceremony. In the heat and steam, we learn from this ancient wisdom and come into the
right relationship with ourselves and the world.
A Chant to Honor the Stone People
Stones and Bones
Brooke Medicine Eagle
Building a Lodge is a community event through which we create loving relationships with each other, the land, stone people, plant people, Spirit and Earth Mother.
The Lodge is built through giveaway of the plant people. We go into the woods and share our intention to build a Lodge with the tree people. The young ones, the young saplings, who are ready to give away their lives to honor our Sacred relationship with their people, let us know that we can take their lives in a Sacred ceremony, with gratitude, respect and love. When the saplings are collected, we clear their bark and start the building ceremony. The stone pit is dug in the center of the future Lodge and an altar is created with the soil from the stone pit. The Fire pit is dug in the front.
Then, we start singing to the tree people, and gently and lovingly help them band to create the dome and the hoops of the Lodge. It is the most beloved and most mind and heart opening moment, this collaboration with the tree people and with each other!
A Chant to Honor the Plant People
The Willow Song
Brooke Medicine Eagle
The Lodge, the altar and the Fire pit create a Sacred pathway through which the stone people are brought into the Lodge. This Sacred pathway represents the connection between Mother Earth and the Creation. The Lodge is the womb of the Earth Mother build in a shape of the turtle, representing the wisdom of the Turtle and honoring the Turtle Island. The pathway leading to the altar is the neck of the Turtle and the Altar is the head. We go into the Womb of the Earth Mother and bring the stones as seeds of Creation into the Lodge to be cleansed, healed, and reborn again.
This Sacred ceremony is focused on the honoring of the forces that guide and support us, on prayers, and on respect to the traditions of the Lodge. This is profound physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual experience, that is transformational and life altering for all.
PRAYER TIES
Before entering the Lodge, participants create Prayer Ties, bundles made of cloth filled with tobacco or corn meal with tobacco. These medicine herbs are the Sacred medicine. Tobacco absorbs the prayers, and corn meal brings the feminine energy to balance them. Our prayers are blown into the herbs and the bundle is tied with a string. There are often multiple ties made in a series of 7 to represent the Seven Sacred Directions on one string holding our prayers. They can be offered to Great Spirit in Gratitude and for Blessings by burning them in Grandfather Fire, burying them into Mother Earth, placing them into the Waters, or hanging them for the winds and the element of the Air for transmutation.
A single Tobacco Tie is a square piece of cloth, usually red, folded into a tiny present containing tobacco or other Sacred herbs. A single Tobacco Tie is a nice gift for an Elder, Teacher, Fire Keeper, Ceremony Leader at a Sweat Lodge, Fire or Pipe Ceremony in gratitude for their service, medicine, and teachings.
The Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge Ceremony or a Sweat Lodge Ceremony starts days, or even months in advance.
The Spirits call us, inviting us to the ceremony.
The Keeper of the Lodge prepares the ground, cleans the Fire Pit, the altar, and the stone pit, gathers the wood, the covering materials, and prepares the stone people to be heated on the day of the ceremony.
Often, people choose to fast or cleanse in other ways to prepare physically, mentally, emotionally, and energetically for the ceremony. On the day of the ceremony, it is a good practice to eat little to nothing but drink a lot of water and electrolytes to stay hydrated.
THIS IS A WHOLE DAY EVENT, so prepare accordingly.
SUPPORT
The Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge ceremonies are community events. People of all ages are welcome. All the participants are supported by the Water Pourer, the leader of the ceremonies, the Fire keeper, Door keeper, by the organizers, and other members of the community. Every step of the ceremonies is explained and guided, and conversations are held on the steps of the ceremonies, and on safety and support as we build the Lodge and go though the events of the day.
These events are community oriented and ensure that all the participants are safe, loved, heard, and supported at all times!
Everyone is also supported by the invisible forces that have invited us to the ceremonies, and that we invite during Smudging ceremony, and creating of the Sacred space, the Creator, Earth Mother, Guardians and Keepers of the Directions, their personal guides, and guardians, and by the medicine people, Grandmothers and Grandfathers, keepers of this medicine.
Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge Recources:
SACRED STONE PEOPLES LODGE GATHERING
MAY 2-4, 2025
PLAN FOR THE GATHERING
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Day 1 Friday 5/2/2025
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5 pm Opening Circle
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Day 2 Saturday 5/3/2025
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10:00 am Building the Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge (Sweat Lodge)
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Sharing a dish to pass for light lunch and dinner
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When done, Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge Ceremony
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Day 3 Sunday 5/4/2025
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10:00 am Closing Circle: Passing of the Rattle
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WHAT TO EXPECT?
This May, we will be building the Lodge. As preparation for the gathering, we will prepare the land and collects the saplings (young wood) for the Lodge frame, in a respectful and loving, ceremonial way, inviting them to take part in this Sacred ceremony.
If any of the participants want to take part in this loving and Sacred ceremony of gathering the plant people for the Lodge, please arrive a day early, on Thursday, May 1, to be ready to participate in collecting the tree people on Friday morning, May 2.
On Friday afternoon, all the participants will gather for the Opening ceremony, to sit by the Fire, get to know each other and enter the Sacred space.
Saturday will start with a building of the Lodge. Before the building starts, we enter ceremony to be ready to listen to the Tall Standing People and be gentle as we sing them into bending to create the Sacred hoops of the Lodge. We offer Tobacco and Corn Meal to Earth Mother every time we pierce a hole in her soil to place a sapling in.
After the Lodge is in place, the Sacred Fire is prepared and the stones are placed into the Fire in a beautiful ceremony that honors the Grandfather Fire, the stones, and all the participants, seen and unseen. A Fire Keeper comes forward to maintain the Fire while Grandfather Stones are "cooking". We then share the Community Pipe and then put our prayers in the Prayer ties.
At this time, people change into the sweat clothes, drink more water and tend to their needs. When the time is right, we start the cleansing ceremony with Grandfather Fire and then enter the Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge.
The ceremony has four rounds. We start in the East, by inviting Wabun, Great Golden eagle to work us in the first round. In the second round, we invite Shawnodese, Coyote, to the South, to help us visit the places of our emotions. In the West, we invite Grandmother and Grandfather Bear, Mudjekeewis, to guide our prayers for the leaders in the world. And, in the last round, we turn to the North, and invite Waboose, Great White Buffalo, to help with healing of Mother Earth and all our relations. This is not a contest of strength or endurance. You are free to leave if you need to. After the ceremonies, participants change into dry clothes, we make a Spirit plate offering, come into prayer before we start to eat and then enjoy the meal and festivities.
WHAT TO BRING ON THE DAY OF THE LODGE
Please bring at least one blanket, so that we have enough to cover the Lodge. Dark and thick blankets work best. They can have designs or not. It is beautiful to have blankets with animal Spirits cover the Lodge, but this is not a requirement. We honor 7 Sacred directions. Sky, Sun, Grandmother Moon, Star Nations above, Earth Mother and her Turtle and Frog Clans below. The Eagle, Condor, and other winged family of the air in the East. Coyote, Great Serpent, Wolf, Rabbit, in the South, Bear, Whale, elk, family in the West, and Buffalo, Dolphin, otter, racoon, cougar in the North.
If you can offer a donation, please bring cash, and create a single Tobacco tie to gift it to the Water Pourer, the Leader of the ceremony on the day of the event.
If you can, please bring a dish to pass because we will share a meal after the Ceremonies.
Please be mindful that we have a vegetarian, a vegan, a "gluten free" family and we might not be able to store much of the food in the fridge.
If you have a portable cooler that would be really appreciated!!!
Thank you all. In gratitude and love to all our relatives.
Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ
Suggestions on How to
Prepare for the Gathering?
Please consider:
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Accommodation options are listed on this page HERE.
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Travel options on how to arrive to Cres are given on this page HERE.
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If you would like to know more about Island Cres please visit THIS section.
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If you would like to know more about Earthkeepers Spirit Team please visit the TEAM page.
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For ways to contact us, please visit CONTACT page.
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Personal care and wellbeing:
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Weather on Cres at this time of year might be unpredictable, so having a range of clothes is advisable.
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Our vision is to create space in which everyone will be comfortable, where you can come as you are, right in that moment, sad, happy, angry, overwhelmed, stressed, joyful, anxious ... we come as we are, and we support each other and show compassion, empathy, and love to ourselves and the community. If you would like to share your concerns or your needs, please email Korana at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com, so that we can find ways to create space for you.
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Same goes for food needs, please email us on the above email if you have any food considerations, and
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if you are uncomfortable with animals. There will be at least 3 dogs taking part in the gathering, Dolce, or Iddy Biddy, who is a 16-year-old Beagle, Carter, 6-year-old large mix dog, and Rea, 3-year-old mischievous mostly dog🤣🤣!
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And remember, "NO STRESS ON CRES" - come and take a breath of the fresh, salty air, take in the sights, and all our relatives in the beautiful nature of the island!
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Ideas on what to bring:
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General Items
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Bring any personal ceremonial items that are important to you.
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Your Mesa, Sacred Pipe, rattle, drum, Spirit water, sarong, or a cloth to wrap around your waste for ceremony, ceremonial shawl etc.
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We will provide smudge tools, tobacco, and corn meal for all group ceremonies.
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Candle(s) and matches.
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Wooden sticks or Toothpicks.
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Depending on how much you would like to participate, we suggest that you bring a notebook, journal, and or paper and pen, coloring pens or other art tools.
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Range of clothes for the unpredictable weather; from warmer weather clothes, to colder, and maybe rainy weather clothes if needed. A HAT, RAIN COAT, CHANGE OF CLOTHES, AND SOCKS, AND GOOD, WATERPROOF SHOES OR A SPARE PAIR.
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Other supplies:
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Matches, dry paper to start the Fire, WE WILL PROVIDE THE WOOD
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METAL (refillable) water bottle
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Camping chair or a mat (carimat) or a blanket to sit on. If you are sitting on the ground, make sure that whatever you bring is waterproof.
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- Dish to pass
- If you are comfortable with this, we will share lunch, so please plan for that and bring food that you can share with others.
- There is at least one restaurant open in Miholascica that serves nice range of food, and
- there is a general store in Martinscica that is open on Saturdays.
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Your Support
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You support will be Earthkeepers Spirit Team member Korana, and all our relatives on Cres, stone, plant, and animal families.
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Language
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Gathering will be guided in English laguage with Croatian translation.
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Please email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns, we would like to create safe and comfortable space for all!
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Registration the for the
Sacred Stone Peoples Lodge Gathering
April 11, 2025
Pricing:
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There is never a charge for our ceremonies.
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We hope to get support through donations.
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Suggested donation for the materials and locations: $150
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Scholarships available, please reach out at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com
ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION
Email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com for Q's
Villa Goga
View from Villa Goga
Restaurant on the beach
View from the restaurant on the beach
Club Goga - Community Gathering Place
Contact
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Goga and Emil at info@villa-goga.hr
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When the beds fill up in Villa Goga, Goga will direct you to accommodation possibilities in village Miholascica.
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Email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com for additional accommodation resources.
OTHER ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
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Tourist agency Martinšćica
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Martinšćica 37
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51556 Martinšćica, Croatia
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Phone: 00385 51 574 107
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Fax: 00385 51 574 107
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E-mail: info@app-cres.com
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Tourist agency Zaglav
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Zaglav d.o.o.
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Punta 1, Martinšćica, Otok Cres
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Phone: 24/7 customer support: 051 574 169
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Email: office@zaglav.hr
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TRAVEL INFORMATION
Email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com for Q's
FLIGHTS
You can fly into several airports in Croatia.
If you fly to Zagreb you will need to rent a car, or take a bus to Cres, or a train to Rijeka and then boat or a bus to Cres. If you fly into Rijeka, or Mali Losinj, you will need to take a bus to Cres.
Please see below the info about buses, trains, and boats.
DRIVING
If you are driving, you will need to take one of the 2 ferry routes, depending where you are arriving from. Brestova - Porozina ferry is on the Northern side of the Island, and Valbiska - Merag on the Eastern side of the island. Both car rides from the ferry to Miholascica are BREATHTAKING!
BUS
If you are taking a bus from either Zagreb or Rijeka, please take the bus for Mali Losinj because Miholascica is a small village ab hour ride from town of Cres on the way to Mali Losinj. You will exit the bus at a crossroads of village called HRASTA, and we will pick you up!
TRAIN AND BOAT (CATAMARAN)
If you are coming from Zagreb and want to explore the beautiful train ride from Zagreb to Rijeka, here are some links to help you. When you arrive to Rijeka, you will take a short walk to the main harbor where you will catch the boat (catamaran) for Mali Losinj. You will get of the boat in the Village Martinscica, and we will pick you up!
OTHER ACTIVITIES
VISIT TO LOCAL HERBALISTS - "OIL HOUSE"
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We will have an opportunity to visit the local herbalists, Irena and Guerino.
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They grow, harvest, and work with local, some of which are endemic herbs to produce essential oils and hydrolates, soaps, and other items for personal wellbeing.
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Irena and Guerino have offered us a workshop to share their wisdom and experience.
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We will organize this workshop for all interested.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
BOAT RIDES
We will have opportunities to organize boat rides to the local Blue Cave, beautiful beaches, including one just under the cliff village of Lubenice, and to smaller islands Visoki and Zeca. These events will be organized based on the participants' interest after the training.
Griffon vulture (lat. Gyps fulvus) is one of the largest bird species in the world and the largest one in Croatia. They have a wingspan of 240 to 280 cm, a height of up to 110 cm, and a weight of 7 to 12 kg in adult birds. They are long-lived birds. They can live up to 40 years in captivity (less in the wild). Griffon vultures feed exclusively on carcasses of large and mid-sized mammals, and never eat live prey. They clean the ecosystem, preventing possible spread of certain diseases.
Griffon vulture is one of the symbols of island of Cres, an island of exceptional and well preserved biodiversity. Beli Visitor and Rescue Centre for Griffon Vultures is the place where you can find out more about the millennia-long coexistence of local people and griffon vultures.
Even though griffon vultures live in other parts of the world, the Kvarner population is unique in the world because these birds nest right above the sea, while in other regions they nest mostly in mountain areas.
Watching griffon vultures in flight is always a special experience. Flying mostly in groups and barely moving their wings, griffon vultures spend hours searching the terrain for food. They fly great distances with ease, and their appearance in the air or on one of the island’s cliffs can truly be breathtaking.
There are several marine mammal species that live or visit the Addriatic Sea, dolphins, whales, and Mediterranean Monk Seals. All marine mammals which live in the Adriatic Sea or only visit it at times are protected by Croatian laws and international agreements. They are endangered due to human influence on their habitats, pollution, over fishing and tourism. Any deliberate disturbing, catching, keeping, injuring or killing of marine mammals in the Adriatic Sea is a criminal offence punishable by Croatian laws with very high penalties and indemnities.
Current knowledge of the status of Cetacean species in the Adriatic Sea indicate that only the common bottlenose dolphin is regularly present in the entire Adriatic Sea. The striped dolphin, the Risso’s dolphin and the Cuvier’s beaked whale are present in different densities only in the southern Adriatic, while sperm whales occasionally visit the area. Fin whales are present seasonally in the central and southern Adriatic. The long-finned pilot whale, false killer whale and humpback whale present rare visitors to the Adriatic Sea. Finally, the short-beaked common dolphin, once present in the entire Adriatic Sea should be considered regionally extinct, as it is present only through either remnant or stray animals.
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is on the Red List of Threatened Species of the Adriatic. The monk seal is the only seal species in the Mediterranean Sea and the fishermen in the Adriatic Sea used to call it morski covik (seaman). It was persecuted for centuries and almost exterminated because it destroyed fishermen’s nets. It was thought to became extinct in the Adriatic. In recent years, there have been sightings around Istria and Cres-Losinj archipelago. This gives hope that it will once again become a permanent resident of the Adriatic Sea.
Sea turtles are an ancient group of animals, inhabiting Earth for millions of years. Today they face many threats that cause their numbers to decline. Sea turtles cannot retract their flippers and head into their shells. Their anatomy makes them agile when under the sea but highly vulnerable when nesting and hatching. The sex of sea turtles, like other reptiles, depends on the temperature in the nest. Warmer nests lead to more females and cooler ones lead to more males. They can hold their breath for five hours underwater. To accomplish this mighty feat they slow their heart rate to up to nine minutes in between heart beats in order to conserve oxygen. Although turtles are cold-blooded, they regulate their body temperature by controlling the blood flow in the skin and fins.
There are a couple of turtle species in Croatia but loggerhead sea turtle (glavata želva), green turtle (zelena želva) and the leatherback turtle (sedmopruga usminjača) are the three main sea turtle species in the Adriatic Sea. The most common species in the Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea is the loggerhead sea turtle. They have been living in the Adriatic for a long time. This is where they feed and spend their winters. Scientists have learned that precisely the North Adriatic is the most important region for the loggerhead turtle in the entire Mediterranean. The greatest number of this species lives, matures, feeds and winters in the North Adriatic. After nesting and laying their eggs, they return to the Adriatic. So, it’s no surprise that their population in the Adriatic is quite large. Scientists estimate there are more than 20.000 sea turtles in the Adriatic. Surveys led by the Blue World Institute show that the main habitat in the Adriatic is the loggerhead, whereas the green turtle and the leatherback are quite rare.
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