Hawksbill turtles are among the most critically endangered species in the world. They used to populate the area around the Gulf Coast, but the BP oil spoil only aggravated their situation. The oil ridden waters have killed thousands of turtles alone, while thousand more have died from starvation and predators. Very few turtles make it to unaffected waters, leaving them stranded in this extremely dangerous area.
But all is not lost. A three year tracking program has been approved that will track over 400 turtles from the Gulf, in the hopes of pinpointing where these turtles migrate. The plan is then to transfer the rest of the turtles to those safe locations. Research will also be done to analyze various waters and relative turtle behavior, in the hopes of discovering which marine area suits them best. Five different countries are taking part in this massive scale animal rescue act, which is the first of its kind in the Gulf region.
The oil spill isn’t the only thing threatening the lives of these turtles. Many fishermen cast nets to catch these turtles, ether for their meat or expensive shells. Fishing for turtles is highly illegal because they are an endangered species. With this new GPS tracking technology, fishermen may be a bit more hesitant to catch a turtle knowing there may be a GPS tracker on its back.
Another barrier that these turtles face is finding new places to lay eggs. When turtles reach the age of full sexual maturity, usually around age thirty, they return to the beaches where they were born and lay their eggs. With the shores of the Gulf no longer an option, turtles will need to find alternative coasts for their eggs.
Feeding is also a large obstacle that these turtles must overcome. Hawksbill turtles are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and vegetables in their diets. The problem is, after the oil spill, most of the species that the turtles eat have migrated from that area, and the plant life has started to die. Scientists will use these GPS tracking systems to find better feeding grounds, cleaner waters, and a place where these turtles can call home.
With the help of GPS tracking technology, we can help keep Hawksbill turtles off the endangered species list for good.
