Satellites have made it possible to map the movements of sea turtles

Researchers at the Sea Turtle Conservancy have discovered that sea turtles are moving in directions they have not traveled before.

In the movie “The Adventures of Sammy” the protagonist is a sea turtle who travels across the oceans in search of his mate.A journey of tens of thousands of kilometers that will lead him to find his true love.For a long time, scientists have wondered about the pathways that Caretta caretta (loving sea turtles) perform in the seas.Recently, researchers at Sea Turtle Conservancy, the international association that deals with the protection of sea turtles, have managed to trace the movements of the Loggerhead thanks to satellite transmitters applied to the shell.They discovered that sea turtles travel much longer distances than previously assumed.

The work of researchers

Little is known about the life cycle of sea turtles.In fact, Caretta carettas mainly move in international waters where no regulations are in force.According to data from Marine Conservation Instituteand only the 3 percent of the oceans is protected in marine protected areas that protect animal biodiversity.The remaining part is no one's territory and it is difficult to obtain information on marine fauna.For this reason scientists thought of using satellite transmitters.Thanks to the trackers, controlled remotely via a computer, the researchers better identified the foraging areas, migratory corridors and breeding areas of the Loggerhead.“One of the really big things in the last decade has become better satellite tracking.The devices are increasingly reliable and allow us to collect much more data that can be used for the conservation of sea turtles,” he explains to BBC Graeme Hays , marine ecologist at Deakin University, Australia.

The effects of global warming

In recent years, the average temperature of the world's ocean surfaces has grown exponentially, reaching a record 21 degrees centigrade last year.This is a direct consequence of global warming which has also affected the routes of sea turtles.A study highlighted that turtles have begun to move much further north than before due to rising global temperatures.“Loggerheads are exploring areas they have never seen before,” explains the marine biologist Daniel Evans.In fact, these are animals that are extremely sensitive to climate changes and only move where they find waters warm enough to lay their eggs.

The fundamental contribution of turtles

Sea turtles are essential as they contribute to the health ofocean ecosystem.One species in particular, the hawksbill turtle, for example, eats sponges, allowing corals to proliferate.The latter, for example, are fundamental for the oceans because algae attach to them whose photosynthesis produces oxygen which is released into the water.This is no small detail if you consider that the 50 percent of the world's oxygen production comes from the oceans.Saving turtles is therefore not only right but also essential to guarantee the health of our planet.