Epic Turtle Migration Is Revealed Through Satellite Tracking

A five-year tracking study provides new insights into the cross-Atlantic migrations of the giant leatherback turtle. Using sophisticated satellites to track 25 female turtles, researchers at the University of Exeter’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation identified three clear migration routes, including a 4,699-mile (7,563 kilometers) journey from the animals’ main breeding grounds in Gabon, Central Africa, to feeding grounds across the South Atlantic. The turtles spend two to five years feeding at sea and then return to Gabon, experts say. While scientists say it is unclear whether populations of the Atlantic leatherbacks are in decline, it is well known that populations in the Pacific have plummeted, likely as a result of turtle egg harvesting and overfishing. Researchers hope a new understanding of the Atlantic turtles’ migration patterns and preferences for particular areas of the ocean will help conservation efforts. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.