Ever wonder how sea turtles spend most of their time beneath the waves? Or how they interact with other sea turtles? Researchers put cameras on turtles and see what they see and do to find out! Check out what they found! Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.S.) and the […]
Effectively managing migratory species requires an understanding of what impacts them along their entire migratory route. This paper evaluates how sea turtles reproducing in Greece are affected by their choice of foraging grounds, which can be some distance from their nesting beaches. Virginia SchutteI just finished my graduate education in the Odum School of Ecology […]
A new technique using underwater robots may be able to teach us about sea turtle behaviors in the wild. Derrick AlcottDerrick is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is interested in anadromous fish migrations, how aquatic organisms interact with their physical environment, and the […]
Longline fishing has been used for decades as a way to catch large amounts of commercial fish. Though effective in capturing target fish, longlines unintentionally snag and kill millions of other marine species. Aside from being caught themselves, marine mammals (i.e. dolphins and killer whales) may eat target fish off the hooks and destroy fishing […]
A technology that both benefits fishermen and helps prevent sea turtle bycatch? Yes, please! The great news is that it exists! And now, it has been updated to include leatherbacks. Read on to learn more about TurtleWatch. Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.S.) and the University of Rhode Island […]
As a poster child for conservation, threats to sea turtles, such as fishing nets and coastal development, have been highly publicized. But recent research has shown that sea level rise, as a function of climate change, is affecting the emergence of turtle hatchlings. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at […]
What began as an innocent initiative to save the sea turtles may be having a detrimental impact on sea grasses and the ecosystem. Anne M. HartwellHello, welcome to Oceanbites! My name is Annie, I’m a marine research scientist who has been lucky to have had many roles in my neophyte career, including graduate student, laboratory […]
Leatherback turtles have a built-in skull skylight that registers light and helps tell them when to migrate. Sarah GiltzI am a doctoral candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University. My research focuses on the larval dispersal and development of the blue crab in the Gulf of Mexico. When not concerning myself with the […]
It is a big scary world out there if you are a migrating ocean animal. However, data-generating backpacks worn by sea turtles can help delineate corridors linking MPAs for added protection! Megan ChenI graduated with a Masters of Coastal & Marine Management from the University of Akureyri in Iceland, and am currently working at the […]
Large numbers of green sea turtles are growing tumors that impede their swimming, block their sight, and prevent them from feeding. Researchers know that the tumor-causing disease, fibropapillomatosis, is more prevalent in some areas than others, but no one knows why. In this study, scientists set out to determine whether exposure to chemical pollutants may […]