Caribbean Colombian Sea Turtle Satellite Tracking (aggregated per 1-degree cell)

Original provider: Sea Turtles and Marine Mammal Conservation Program (ProCTMM) Dataset credits: Data provider Sea Turtles and Mammal Conservation Program UTADEO-Colombian Caribbean Originating data center Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT) Project sponsor or sponsor description Petrobras and Jorge Tadeo Lozano University are sponsoring this project. Abstract: The Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals Conservation Program (ProCTMM) from Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano (UTADEO) – Mundo Marino Aquarium (Museo del Mar Foundation) since 1999 has led investigating these reptiles in the Colombian Caribbean, in two main areas: monitoring nesting activity in the National Park Tayrona (PNNT) and adjacent areas within Santa Marta region (since 1999) and release of neonates in closed systems (since 2004) counting with the support of Petrobras since 2006, developed simultaneously environmental education program, designed to sensitize the community on the critical situation of these populations around the world.

As one of the results of the introduction of 2477 juveniles, between Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Green turtles was obtained from seven (7) introduction events, three (3) reports sighted individuals in perfect health, after its introduction into the environment. The first nine (9) months, in July 2007 in waters surrounding the Rosario Islands, Cartagena - Colombia, the second in 2008 in the area of Pearl Lagoon in Nicaragua intercepted one (1) year after its release, and the third, found in the Mexico Gulf, 70 Km from Pensacola, Southeast Florida, United States,five (5) months since introduction.

The Program is aware of the situation of these ancient animals and the lack of information about their activity in the area, we decided to use Satellite tracking devices supported by the University under the Creative Project Implementation of Satellite Tracking in Sea Turtle because despite the importance of previous reports that suggest two possible migration routes: the first residential (with the use of local currents), and the second International (northwest along the Caribbean Sea), it is evident that existing information is insufficient to confirm the use of it and require decades of continuous labeling for its determination.

For those reasons ProCTMM introduced on 5 December at Bay Gayraca (PNNT), the first Hawksbill Turtle in the Colombian Caribbean with this technology attached to its shell in order to achieve tangible results, which will help to elucidate possible migration routes of these individuals in the area, and identify the possible coupling of juveniles belonging to the Head-start project. Supplemental information: Visit STAT's project page for additional information. This dataset is a summarized representation of the telemetry locations aggregated per species per 1-degree cell.