In partnership with STC, WWF Guianas, is currently monitoring the movement of marine turtles in coastal and off-shore waters, especially in the peak of the marine turtle nesting season, in an effort to reduce turtle mortality at sea. The sandy beaches of the Guianas are nesting sites for at least three of the world’s marine turtle species. These are the giant leatherback, the green turtle, and the Olive ridley turtle. Worldwide, one mayor threat to the survival of marine turtles is fisheries bycatch or the accidental capture of marine turtles in fishing gear. When marine turtle migrating and foraging activities occur at the same time and place with artisanal and commercial fishing activities, the chance of a marine turtles swimming into fishing gear is very high. By tracking the movements of turtles at sea, it is possible for fishermen, scientists, government agencies and conservationists to get into dialogue to take action to reduce the risk of accidental capture in fishing nets, hooks, rope and other fishing gear.
The three sea turtle nesting beaches where turtles were satellite tagged were Babusanti Beach of the Galibi Nature Reserve in Suriname, Matapica Beach in the Matapica Nature Reserve in Suriname, and Shell Beach in Guyana.
For more information on sea turtles, check out the Sea Turtles Information section of our website.
Click on the turtle’s name to see a map of its movements.
2012 Turtles
ALMA – Alma is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting the night of May 21, 2012, on Shell Beach, Guyana. She measured 147 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was applied to her shell after she finished nesting.
MORUCA – Moruca is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting the night of May 21, 2012, on Shell Beach, Guyana. She measured 167 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was attached to her shell after she finished nesting.
ROSA – Rosa is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting the night of May 21, 2012, on Shell Beach, Guyana. She measured 156 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was attached to her shell after she finished nesting.
SEKANTI – Sekanti is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting the night of May 19, 2012, on Matapica Beach, Suriname. She measured 156 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was attached to her shell after she finished nesting.
ESI – Esi is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting the night of May 19, 2012, on Matapica Beach, Suriname. She measured 146 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was attached to her shell after she finished nesting.
2011 Turtles
ABBE – Abbe is an adult female green sea turtle. She was encountered nesting on the morning of May 11, 2011, on Shell Beach, Guyana. She measured 112 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was applied to her shell after she finished nesting.
CARA – Cara is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting the night of May 9, 2011, on Shell Beach, Guyana. She measured 156 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and laid 97 eggs in her nest. A satellite transmitter was attached to her shell after she finished nesting.
LUNE – Lune is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting the night of May 9, 2011, on Matapica Beach, Suriname. She measured 140 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was attached to her shell after she finished nesting.
GAYLE – Gayle is an adult female leatherback sea turtle. She was encountered nesting on Galibi beach, Suriname. She measured 159 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite transmitter was applied to her shell after she finished nesting.
2010
AMYJA – Abbe is an adult female green sea turtle. She was encountered nesting on Galibi Beach, Suriname. A satellite transmitter was applied to her shell after she finished nesting.
Sea Turtle Conservancy
