![]() ![]() However, long distance returns of tags are usually very low compared to the number of tags applied.Ī tag inventory has been established at the Archie Carr Centre for Sea Turtle Research (ACCSTR), University of Florida, Gainesville, to keep a record of all tags used in sea turtle tagging programmes. When tags are returned from other areas by field biologists or fishers, it helps in identifying migration routes and foraging grounds of turtles tagged in breeding areas and vice versa. ![]() ![]() Some leatherbacks have nested on beaches separated by more than 700 km. In some cases, such as with olive ridley turtles in Orissa, they may travel larger distances (a few 100 km) for re-nesting. Most turtles generally lay within the same area (0 to 10 km) each time they nest. Tagging also provides information on time intervals between nesting (inter-nesting interval) and distance between nesting sites (site fidelity). If this is known, beach surveys that only include nest counts can be used to estimate the number of nesting females. Identifying an animal uniquely enables us to estimate the number of clutches laid each season. Tagging is particularly useful to study animals at the nesting beach. Such advances in science and technology offer us the chance to understand more about these animals. In recent times, more sophisticated techniques such as satellite telemetry and molecular genetic analyses have been used to deal with these questions. Simple tools such as tagging have been used for decades to find answers to these questions. Fortunately, even the simplest of monitoring programmes can help collect basic data on various aspects of sea turtle biology, which could be crucial to their conservation. Intensive research often needs extensive infrastructure and funding which may or may not be available to all field biologists. However, without data that provides knowledge of their biology, it is very hard to frame appropriate management strategies. Sea turtles are clearly in need of conservation today. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |