The oceanic movements of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), green turtles (Chelonia mydas), and a Pacific ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) were monitored with satellite telemetry between 1996 and 2001 in the Pacific Ocean. During this time several turtles migrated across the Pacific Ocean, covering more than 11,500 km between Santa Rosaliita, Baja California, Mexico (28 40N, 114 14W), and Sendai Bay, Japan (37 54N, 140 56E). These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that loggerheads feeding in the eastern Pacific eventually return to nest on western Pacific beaches. Baja California loggerhead turtles have been shown, through molecular genetic analysis (Bowen et al. 1995) and flipper tag returns (Uchida and Teruya 1988, Resendiz et al. 1998), to be primarily of Japanese origin. We conclude that loggerhead turtles are capable of transpacific migrations and propose that the band of water between 25 and 30 degrees North latitude, the Subtropical Frontal Zone, may be an important transpacific migratory corridor. Recent findings (Polovina et al. 2000) indicate that juvenile loggerheads in the North Pacific move westward against weak (0.1-0.3 km/hr) eastward geostrophic currents, demonstrating that passive drift may not entirely explain the dispersal of loggerheads.<br><br>Juvenile loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, in the 20 - 85 cm straight carapace length (SCL) size range have been observed in the offshore waters along the Pacific coast of California, USA, and the Baja California peninsula, Mexico (Pitman 1990, Nichols, in press). Bartlett (1989) suggested that these turtles might be of western Pacific origin, migrating 10,000 km and feeding on pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) along the Baja California coast. Subsequently, Pacific loggerheads appear to utilize the entire North Pacific during the course of development in a manner similar to Atlantic loggerheads' use of the Atlantic Ocean (Bolten et al. 1998). After a period of more than 10 years (Zug et al. 1995), mature turtles evidently cross the Pacific Ocean from pelagic waters and foraging areas along the Baja California coast to return to natal beaches, a journey of more than 12,000 km in each direction. This is the first effort to document pelagic movements of North Pacific loggerheads from feeding grounds to nesting areas using satellite telemetry. Previous telemetry studies of loggerhead turtles have documented post-reproductive movements (Stoneburner 1982), pelagic movements (Polovina et al. 2000), home ranges (Renaud and Carpenter 1994), navigational abilities (Papi et al. 1997) and homing behavior (Luschi 1996). However, few studies of sea turtles have documented pre-nesting movements from feeding grounds to breeding areas. Notably, Renaud and Landry (1996) documented movement of a Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) from feeding grounds in Louisiana, USA, to its successful nesting in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. A unique opportunity to track the movements of an adult-sized loggerhead turtle, rarely encountered along the Baja California coast, emerged in 1996. The turtle had been raised in captivity and used in the initial genetic analysis of Baja California loggerhead turtles (Bowen et al., 1995). Its mature size (Kamezaki and Matsui, 1997), genetic affinities with Japanese turtles, and the existence of a previous tag return from Japanese waters of a captive-raised, Baja California loggerhead turtle (Resendiz et al., 1998) were the deciding factors in choosing this particular turtle for the study. This turtle is included in the dataset as series 7667, named Adelita. The objective of the study was to monitor the oceanic movement, using satellite telemetry, of a Pacific loggerhead turtle initially captured on feeding grounds along the Baja California coast. Movement data also were examined with respect to oceanographic and meteorological information in an effort to gain insight into the navigational cues that guide adult sea turtles and to identify possible transpacific movement corridors.
The objective of the study was to monitor the oceanic movement, using satellite telemetry, of a Pacific loggerhead turtle initially captured on feeding grounds along the Baja California coast. Movement data also were examined with respect to oceanographic and meteorological information in an effort to gain insight into the navigational cues that guide adult sea turtles and to identify possible transpacific movement corridors.
Visit STAT's project page for additional information at http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/index.shtml?project_id=114
Nichols W2024Pacific Turtle Tracks: Grupo Tortuguerohttp://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/317OBIS-SEAMAP317http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/317OBIS-SEAMAPvector digital dataoriginated from Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT; http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/index.shtml?project_id=114)
ground condition
19960817
20010829
As needed
140.923273.91739.84311.38140.923274.12739.84311.238Ocean
NoneMarine Biology
The telemetry dataset is publicly visualized on the OBIS-SEAMAP web site. However, the data is not available for download without permission from the data provider.
1. Not to use data obtained from OBIS-SEAMAP in any publication, product, or commercial application without proper attribution to the original data provider(s) and OBIS-SEAMAP unless the datasets are explicitly shown under the CC0 policy. Citations or credits are suggested as attribution. If the data you downloaded come from multiple datasets, a citation or credit to each of the datasets is required.
Suggested citation for this dataset:
Nichols W. 2024. Pacific Turtle Tracks: Grupo Tortuguero. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/317) on yyyy-mm-dd and originated from Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT; http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/index.shtml?project_id=114)
Suggested citation for STAT:
Coyne, M. S., and B. J. Godley. 2005. Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT): an integrated system for archiving, analyzing and mapping animal tracking data. Marine Ecology Progress Series. Vol. 301: 1-7
Suggested citation for OBIS-SEAMAP:
Halpin, P.N., A.J. Read, E. Fujioka, B.D. Best, B. Donnelly, L.J. Hazen, C. Kot, K. Urian, E. LaBrecque, A. Dimatteo, J. Cleary, C. Good, L.B. Crowder, and K.D. Hyrenbach. 2009. OBIS-SEAMAP: The world data center for marine mammal, sea bird, and sea turtle distributions. Oceanography 22(2):104-115
2. To forward the citation of any publication / report that made use of the data / tools provided by OBIS-SEAMAP for inclusion in our list of references.
3. Not to hold OBIS-SEAMAP or the original data providers liable for errors in the data. While we have made every effort to ensure the quality of the database, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these datasets.
4. The burden for determining fitness for use of the downloaded data for any analyses lies entirely with the user. OBIS-SEAMAP or the original data providers do not support outcomes of your analyses that used the data you downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP.
5. To consider inclusion of the accompanying transect (effort) dataset if available into the methodology of your analyses.
6. Not to redistribute the data you downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP through any media without contect from OBIS-SEAMAP and the original data providers unless the datasets are explicitly shown under the CC0 policy.
Shapefile
Wallace Nichols
Grupo Tortuguero Tracking Project
mailing and physical address
unknown
j@oceanrevolution.org
Data provider: Grupo Tortuguero Tracking Project; Originating data center: Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT); Project sponsor or sponsor description:
Taxon coveredSea turtlesIntegrated Taxonomic Information SystemUnknownIntegrated Taxonomic Information SystemNot applicableDownloaded April, 2004http://www.itis.usda.gov/Refer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetmailing and physical addressRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetNot providedIdentified by observers or researchers conducting the surveyKingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataSubphylumVertebrataClassReptiliaOrderTestudinesSuborderCryptodiraSuperfamilyChelonioideaFamilyCheloniidaeSubfamilyCarettinaeGenusCarettaSpeciesCaretta carettaGenusLepidochelysSpeciesLepidochelys olivaceaSubfamilyCheloniinaeGenusCheloniaSpeciesChelonia mydas
Relational databaseCoyne, M. S., and B. J. Godley2005OBIS-SEAMAP: The world data center for marine mammal, sea bird, and sea turtle distributionsvector digital dataMarine Ecology Progress SeriesVol. 301: 1-7http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v301/feature/
Michael Coyneseaturtle.orgmailing and physical addressmcoyne@seaturtle.org
http://www.nbii.gov/
Biological Data Profile
2024020120240201
Data were put through the OBIS-SEAMAP data registration steps.20240201
GCS_WGS_1984Decimal degrees0.0010.001D_WGS_1984WGS_19846378137.000000298.257224OBIS-SEAMAPNicholas School of Environment, Duke Universitymailing and physical addressA328, LSRCDurhamNC27708USA919-613-8021seamap-contact@duke.eduFreeGo to the OBIS-SEAMAP web sitezipzipped shapefilehttp://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/317OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset ID 317Grupo Tortuguero Tracking ProjectBiogeographic dataBiogeographic dataNot applicableproject_idSTAT Project IDData providerSTAT Project IDprognumProgram numberData providerProgram numbertag_idPTT IDData providerPTT IDdatetime_utcDate and time in UTCData providerlcLocation classData providerLocation classData provideriqQuality indicatorData providerQuality indicatorlatitudeLatitude 1Data providerlongitudeLongitude 1Data providerdir1Dir 1Data providerDir 1nb_mesNumber of messages receivedData providerNumber of messages receivedbig_nb_mesdefinition not providedData providerdefinition not providedbest_levelBest signal strength in dBData providerBest signal strength in dBpass_durationPass duration in secondsData providerPass duration in secondsnopcNumber Of Plausibility Checks successful (from 0-4)Data providerNumber Of Plausibility Checks successful (from 0-4)calcul_freqCalculated frequencyData providerCalculated frequencyaltitudeAltitude used for location calculationData providerAltitude used for location calculationsensorsSensorsData providerSensorsspeciesSpecies nameData providerSpecies namesp_tsnITIS Taxonomic Serial NumberData providerITIS Taxonomic Serial NumberData providerlc_filterParameters to location filteringData providerParameters to location filteringspeed_filterParameters to speed filteringData providerParameters to speed filteringdistance_filterParameters to distance filteringData providerParameters to distance filteringtopo_filterParameters to topo filteringData providerParameters to topo filteringtime_filterParameters to time filteringData providerParameters to time filteringangle_filterParameters to angle filteringData providerParameters to angle filteringlife_stageLife stage of the animalData providerLife stage of the animalData providergenderGender of the animalData providerGender of the animalData providerwetdryWet or dryData providerWet or drywetdry_filterParameters to Wet or dry filterintData providerParameters to Wet or dry filterintobs_datetimeDate and time (local time zone)Data providertimezone_hTime difference from UTCData providerTime difference from UTCobs_countAnimal count (always 1)Data provider