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Island-finding ability of marine turtles
Graeme C Hays1, Susanne Akesson, Annette C Broderick
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK. g.hays@swan.ac.uk
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|September 4, 2003
Summary
Green sea turtles use wind-borne cues for navigation. Turtles released downwind of Ascension Island returned quickly, while those released upwind struggled, supporting this navigation hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Animal Navigation
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) undertake long-distance migrations.
- Turtles migrate from Brazilian foraging grounds to Ascension Island for nesting, covering over 2200 km.
- The navigation mechanisms used by these turtles remain an area of study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that green sea turtles use wind-borne cues for navigation.
- To investigate how wind direction influences the turtles' ability to locate Ascension Island.
Main Methods:
- Satellite tracking of green sea turtles after nesting.
- Relocating turtles 50 km downwind and upwind of Ascension Island.
- Analyzing return times and navigation success rates.
Main Results:
- Turtles released downwind of Ascension Island returned within 1-4 days.
- Turtles released upwind experienced significant delays in returning, with some taking up to 27 days.
- One upwind-released turtle failed to relocate the island and returned to Brazil.
Conclusions:
- Findings strongly support the hypothesis that wind-borne cues are crucial for green sea turtles locating Ascension Island.
- This study highlights the importance of atmospheric conditions in sea turtle migration.
- Wind-borne cues likely play a significant role in the navigational strategies of migrating sea turtles.