Global News - July 2008

< Back to Global News

Data about migration patterns could help leatherback conservation effort

Tue 29 July 2008 13:00 UK — North America,Marine Wildlife

New research into the migratory habits of one population of leatherback turtles could help conservationists protect the species in the future.

A team from Duke University and other research facilities in the US tagged and tracked the leatherbacks that nest on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Surprisingly, the team found that, unlike other populations of turtles, the leatherbacks from this area consistently followed a relatively narrow route out into the sea, past the Galapagos Islands and across the equator to an area in the South Pacific where they linger at length.

The scientists said that the data could be used to help conservation efforts.

"Given that the turtles seem to move in a predictable way from the nesting beach through the equatorial region from roughly February through April, we could potentially suspend fishing in certain areas while the leatherbacks are passing through that part of the eastern Pacific," doctoral candidate George Shillinger explained.

It is hoped that information about the turtles' movement could be combined with other data about environmental features along their route and possible fishing activity to identify the times the animals are at their most vulnerable.

Leatherbacks are the largest turtles in the world and are currently considered critically endangered on the IUCN list of threatened species.

Help IAR save animals from suffering around the world.

News brought to you by International Animal Rescue, leaders in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

< Back to Global News   |   Read IAR News

Read IAR News >