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Satellite tracking: an example

Project Paola -Brief notes on Sea Turtle Migration

The first sea turtle Caretta caretta, released from Greece, to be tracked via satellite in the Mediterranean through an electronic transmitter fitted on her back. Project directed by the Curator, Dr. Flegra Bentivegna of the Stazione Zoologica "Anton Dohrn" in Naples (Italy) in collaboration with MEDASSET (Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles).

Brief notes on Sea Turtle Migration and Navigation

A full understanding of how young sea turtles travel reliably from their nesting beach to their nursery areas and how they can keep in favourable areas for development is now more fully understood although many questions remain unanswered. In young loggerheads, orientation during migration appears to be dependent upon sequential visual, wave and magnetic cues. Once the young turtles have arrived in their nursery areas, magnetic earth fields may play an important role in positioning and orientation: this possibly helps to keep the young turtles within favourable areas vital for their successful growth, development and survival.

Exactly how adults navigate is still unknown although mechanisms used by hatchlings may also apply to adults. The fact that hatchlings have been shown to respond to magnetic fields suggests that adults can also use this information to navigate and follow geometric maps and return successfully to natal beaches after complex and sometimes lengthy migrations.

© 1997 MEDASSET

Island of Kefalonia - Paola release point (13/04/97)
Cape Tenaro - Paola loss in transmission (25/05/97)
Island of Kea - Paola resumes transmission (06/97)

Further resources:
Status of the Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Naples and preliminary study of Migration.
Press Release No.2 16/04/97
Brief notes on migration in Sea Turtles.
Brief notes on satellite tracking methods.
The "Paola" project.