Published: 5th December 2011
The Plymouth based National Marine Aquarium and the University of Exeter’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation, have joined forces with the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) in a new turtle satellite tagging programme.
The project will track the movements of teenage Green Turtles around the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in the Caribbean.
Gilbert is one of a trio of young green turtles which have just been tagged as part of the MCS led TCI Turtle Project. The National Marine Aquarium is sponsoring Gilbert’s tag to help MCS and the University of Exeter find out more about these rookie travellers, whose species are known to journey hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from their breeding grounds.
‘Taino’, ‘Gilbert’ and ‘David’ are all sub adults – teenagers in human terms - and too young to be identified as male or female.
The turtles were caught by TCI Turtle Project officer Amdeep Sanghera with expert local turtle fishermen, Gilbert Jennings and Dave Clare, after whom two turtles were named. Gilbert and Dave are amongst many TCI fishermen who have been working closely with the project to develop a new turtle fishery management plan and create laws to improve the sustainability of this traditional fishery. The project is seeking protection for the important larger adult breeding turtles currently legally taken by the fishery.
Dr David Gibson, Managing Director of the National Marine Aquarium said, “The Aquarium is delighted to be able to help the Marine Conservation Society with this project. Marine Turtles throughout the world's oceans are under enormous pressure from man's activity. It is vital that we carry out detailed, real-time scientific research to further our understanding of their behaviour in order to develop more effective strategies for managing these pressures and conserving turtles for future generations. Real-time scientific research also allows us to engage with our visitors and school groups to enthuse them about Marine Conservation.”
For MCS and the south-west based University and Aquarium, this new tagging project offers an opportunity for daily public involvement, via the charity’s website.
“Teenage turtles spend all their time sea and so we know little about them as there have been very few attempts to track them at this age,” says Amdeep Sanghera, “Now anyone can follow these turtles on-line as they live their lives at sea miles away from humans – everyone can get involved in scientific discovery as it happens.”
The first turtle to be tagged in the project was an adult female called Suzie. She surprised everyone by travelling 6,000 kilometres around the Caribbean. Meanwhile, four tagged adult Hawksbill Turtles have stayed in TCI’s waters for almost 2 years. Their lack of miles, although surprising, showed that these important breeding adults are subject to the TCI turtle fishery all year round, reinforcing the message that theses creatures really do need protection.
“The exciting thing is that we don’t know what Gilbert, David and Taino will do – they may migrate thousands of kilometres or they may just stay at home like some of the others turtles we have tagged,” says Amdeep.
All three turtle are wearing sponsored tags. Taino’s tag is funded by the Amanyara Resort in Providenciales, TCI and David’s is supported by the British Chelonia Group.
Tracking has so far shown that Gilbert and David are sticking together, with Taino not far away.
If you would like to follow Gilbert, David and Taino as they journey around the Caribbean then visit www.mcsuk.org/turtletracking
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