CNN: Loggerhead sea turtles go the distance
- wallacejnichols
- July 19, 1999
Like their cousin the tortoise, sea turtles may take their time, but they are remarkably persistent, according to new evidence from an Earthwatch sponsored researcher.
A tag was recovered in Baja, Mexico, from the flipper of a Loggerhead sea turtle that was tagged in Japan. The tag confirms that endangered loggerheads shuttle nearly 7,500 miles 12,000 kilometers each way across the Pacific Ocean between nesting beaches in Japan and feeding grounds off the coast of Mexico.
"A paucity of tag returns is common in sea turtle research, making this a great find", researcher Dr. Wallace J. Nichols said. "The small turtle, which began its journey as a 6 inch, handsized juvenile, made the 12,000 plus kilometer trip in the time it has taken me to get my Ph.D. six years", he said.
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