WildView™

January 7, 2015

A Green Turtle that Knows How to Travel

- as seen by -

Samantha Strindberg

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This endangered green turtle, which as a hatchling emerged from the sands of a Caribbean shore and grew into this beautiful adult, was recently tagged by the Wildlife Conservation Society at Glover’s Reef Atoll – one of the pearls along the Belizean barrier reef.

Satellite tags like this teach us about long-range turtle movements. We can use the information they provide to plan conservation activities that will help secure the animals’ future survival.

TurtleSam, as she was named, surprised us all by continuing on a remarkable journey that took her thousands of kilometers, through the waters of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. Perhaps she was foraging, or seeking a mate. Or maybe she was laying her eggs in a nest that, if left undisturbed under the warmth of the Caribbean sun, would produce a multitude of baby turtles scrambling down the beach to the ocean.

May the path of this magnificent marine traveler lead her through safe, net-free waters. May she find all she needs to survive and to secure the next generation.

NIKON D7000

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