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Instructions

Preparation work
How to track "Esmeralda"
Help, membership, news and feedback
Adopt a turtle

Preparation work
Tracking "Esmeralda" is quite simple although you may need to become familiar with some new terms, concepts and ideas. Use the Greentrack website and the links to understand the following:
1. The importance of this project. (HINT: see Project Details)
2. The Scientific and Conservation groups involved. (HINT: see Greentrack partners)
3. General biology of sea turtles.(HINT: see Turtle/Satellite info and visit EuroTurtle website)
4. Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) biology. (HINT: see Migrations/Mediterranean distribution/EuroTurtle )
5. How satellite tracking works. (HINT: see Turtle/Satellite info)
6. GPS: what it is and how it works. (HINT: visit GPS websites from the links page)
7. Longitude and Latitude. (HINT: visit website from Resources page or read the summary notes.)
How to track "Esmeralda"
To track "Esmeralda" around the eastern Mediterranean, carefully follow the list below:
1. Go to the Resources page and locate the overlay plotting grid. This allows you to place "Esmeralda's " exact position on the map. Print this grid directly onto an "overhead transparency" (available at most good computer shops) or ask your teacher to photocopy onto an "overhead transparency" from a printed paper copy.
2. Print out a main "tracking" map from the Map page. The maps are on two A4 sheets and cover the area that Esmeralda has swum.  If you wish, you can print out the older large scale maps for more detailed plotting.
3. Visit the Satellite data page to find out "Esmeralda's" movements. To start with, you will have lots of data to plot and then you can update your map as new data reaches the scientists on Cyprus (MTRG). Printing out the will make the plotting process much easier. There are two lists - a shorter daily summary or the full list of every satellite plots.
4. You will now need to work out how far "Esmeralda" has traveled since her last plot. This is a complicated process requiring some difficult maths and Greentrack has a page to make this calculation easy. Visit this page to calculate the distance. If this page does not work, you can DOWNLOAD the program which will run on your PC. This program can be found on the Resources page.
5. Once you have worked out how far "Esmeralda" has traveled, enter this data into a table. This can be "hand-drawn", printed out on your computer or you could use the table on the Satellite data page.
6. Use the overlay grid to plot "Esmeralda's" exact position on the map. A good idea is to place the plotting grid (clear plastic grid) over the map and gently push a pin through at the correct point and then mark the tiny hole with a pen - this makes the plotting process more accurate and quicker. Time and date each point and write in the distance traveled (see the diagram below).
   
   
7. Ask your teacher for other projects using this data.
8. For those who like computers, it is possible to plot everything electronically although you will need access to suitable programs. If you need help, contact Greentrack via the email helpline.
   GOODLUCK


Help, membership, news and feedback
Sharing information is a vital part of successful Conservation and Science. Please use the following to help others and keep Greentrack informed on how you are doing.

1. Email help - if you get stuck and need urgent help, please email Greentrack. We hope to reply as soon as we can. If there are common problems, we will paste this onto the Notice Board.
2. Email forum - If you have any suggestions, improvements, views or questions about Greentrack or sea turtle conservation, please use the form on this page. The most interesting and important emails will be posted onto the Notice Board.
3. Notice board - News of "Esmeralda" can be found here plus your views, problems and solutions: visit this page on a regular basis.
4. Membership - please get your teacher to register your school. A list of participating schools will be available for contact and feedback.
Adopt a Turtle
Adopt a turtle - tracking turtles is a very expensive process (4000 US dollars). You can help by trying to raise money for further tracking of turtles in the Mediterranean. Please visit this page if you think you can help.