Spatial movements and foraging habitat of leatherback sea turtles from the St. Croix, USVI nesting population
A project of in conjunction with the partners and sponsors detailed below.
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| Name | Species | Life Stage | Release Date | Last Location | Days Transmitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea PPQ234 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-18 | 2007-05-27 | 9 |
| Boyle XXZ481 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-19 | 2007-06-24 | 36 |
| Christine XXZ126 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-20 | 2007-06-03 | 14 |
| Dodge AAR863 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-22 | 2007-05-31 | 9 |
| Elaine AAR530 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-22 | 2007-06-03 | 12 |
| Francis-Josephine PPQ244 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-22 | 2007-06-01 | 10 |
| Grace AAV935 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-24 | 2007-07-24 | 61 |
| Hana AAR591 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-24 | 2007-06-02 | 9 |
| Isabela XXZ142 | Leatherback | Adult | 2007-05-25 | 2007-06-02 | 8 |
| Jeanne AAR264 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-12 | 2008-05-22 | 10 |
| Kosar VII400 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-13 | 2008-06-08 | 26 |
| Lei Lani XXZ465 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-15 | 2008-06-14 | 30 |
| Molly AAC261 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-15 | 2008-05-15 | 0 |
| Natasha AAG914 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-16 | 2008-09-26 | 133 |
| Olivia XXZ123 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-18 | 2008-09-18 | 123 |
| Penelope KL56 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-18 | 2008-06-02 | 15 |
| Queenie AAC261 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-19 | 2008-05-28 | 9 |
| Reine 02928627 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-20 | 2008-06-04 | 15 |
| Southwood AAQ943 | Leatherback | Adult | 2008-05-20 | 2008-05-28 | 8 |
Click on an animal's name for maps and more information.
Introduction
Introduction
Studies of the foraging ecology of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are limited by the logistic difficulties of monitoring feeding behavior at sea. Aside from the rare direct documentation of surface feeding events, inferences made from alterations in diving patterns and broad scale movements with relation to oceanographic features provide some insight as to when and where feeding occurs.
In May 2007 and May 2008, we deployed a combination of physiological sensors, data loggers and satellite telemeters to remotely monitor leatherback foraging and diving behavior. Leatherbacks maintain internal body temperatures higher than ambient water temperatures, in both tropical and temperate seas. As a result, ingestion of prey at ambient temperature has the effect of rapidly lowering the stomach temperature. The magnitude of temperature change and the time for the stomach temperature to recover to its original temperature will be used to determined by their prey size and number of feeding events.
Satellite-linked data recorders (MK10-AL, Wildlife Computers, Redmond, WA) were attached to the carapace of leatherback turtles while nesting on Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (SPNWR), St. Croix, USVI. After the turtles were finished nesting, they were also fed stomach a temperature pill (STP3, Wildlife Computers, Redmond, WA). The stomach temperature pill emitted a pulse-coded acoustic signal that varied with turtle's stomach temperature. The satellite tag recorded and converted this signal to temperature every 10-seconds. The satellite tags also recorded water temperature and depth every 10-seconds. Analysis of the leatherback's stomach temperatures, locations and associated diving profiles will be used to characterize leatherback foraging behavior in the North Atlantic.
Project Partners
West Indies Marine Animal Research and Conservation Service
http://www.wimarcs.org/
Project Sponsors
Project is conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
Funding was provided by the Large Pelagics Research Center of the University of New Hampshire.
http://www.largepelagics.unh.edu/
