< Back to Front Page Text size +

Where do the giant turtles go? Tracking the endangered leatherbacks

Posted by bdaley August 1, 2008 09:08 AM

By Beth Daley, Globe Staff

One of the toughest parts of studying large marine animals is tracking them in the water.
Yet University of New Hampshire scientists just tagged three leatherbacks - those giant endangered creatures that can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. One male and two females weighing about 700-800 pounds were recently outfitted with GPS satellite tags on their backs.

leathery.jpg
Courtesy of UNH

Researchers want to track the elusive migratory creatures to better understand their feeding, swimming and other habits to help them survive. While killer whales and sharks attack them in the open water, they are also killed by ingesting marine debris, getting hit by boat propellers and getting entangled in fishing gear.

“We investigators spent 20 years attempting to learn about these animals on the high seas…with only slow progress,” says UNH research associate professor Molly Lutcavage, director of UNH’s Large Pelagics Research Center. “This work will be useful for marine resource managers and others who want to understand how leatherbacks spend their days in the New England region and beyond.”

The tags transmit depth, water temperature and location information daily via satellite, allowing researchers to gain insight into the movement patterns of the sea turtles.

Warm temperatures have brought an abundance of jellyfish, the primary food source for leatherbacks, to the area this year, creating a banner year for the elusive leatherbacks.

For more information go to: http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2008/July/bp31turtle.cfm

  • CommentComment
  • EmailEmail
1 comments so far...
  1. Is that mighty putty holding the GPS on his back?

    Posted by Ken August 18, 08 08:28 PM
add your comment
Required
Required (will not be published)

This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.

About the green blog Helping Boston live a greener, more environmentally friendly life.

contributors

Bennie DiNardo is the Boston Globe's deputy managing editor/multimedia
Beth Daley covers environmental issues for the Globe
Christine Chinlund is deputy health/science editor for the Globe.
David Beard is editor of Boston.com
Eric Bauer is site architect of Boston.com
Gideon Gil is the Globe's Health/Science editor
Glenn Yoder produces Boston.com's Lifestyle pages
Ron Agrella is Boston.com's features editor
Erin Ailworth covers energy and the business of the environment for the Globe.
Michael Prager is a Boston-area writer and blogger with a focus on green issues.
Bina Venkataraman covers environmental issues for the Globe.
Christopher Reidy covers business for the Globe.
archives

browse this blog

by category
  • Alternative Energy/Transportation
  • Environment and Health
  • Flora and Fauna
  • Greener Homes
  • Living Green
  • Wild Weather
;