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| VIMS researchers tag sea turtles
to monitor population trends, track movements and behavior, and identify
habitats. Tag types used include flipper tags, pit tags, radio tags, and
satellite tags. |
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VIMS has tracked more than 60 sea turtles
with satellite tags. Data from these studies show long-term movements
of sea turtles.
- Seasonal migrations are linked to temperature.
- Many sea turtles tagged in Virginia spend
the winter in an area south of Cape Hatteras on the western edge of
the Gulf Stream.
- Some loggerhead juveniles exhibit oceanic
(vs. coastal) habitat selection.
- Link to VIMS sea turtle
tracks on Seaturtle.org.
Mansfield 2006
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Radio tags allow scientists to track the short-term
movements and diving behavior of sea turtles.
- Loggerhead and Kemp's ridley sea turtles
exhibit seasonal differences in surfacing behavior.
- Surfacing behavior is an important factor
in estimating turtle populations using aerial survey data.
Mansfield 2006 |
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Most sea turtles released by the VIMS Sea
Turtle Program are tagged with a flipper tag. This tag number is entered
into a national database operated by the Archie
Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research. Kemp's ridley sea turtles are
tagged with a PIT (passive integrated transponder) tag in one flipper.
Data from these tags reveal population trends
and long-term movements. |
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Mansfield, K.L. 2006. Sources of mortality,
movements and behavior of sea turtles in Virginia. Ph.D. Dissertation.
College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA. 343 pp.
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