Read Time:University of Exeter scientists have used satellite tracking and “stable isotope ratios” – a chemical signature also used by forensic scientists – to track female loggerheads from two rookeries (nesting beaches) in the Mediterranean. “We show where the majority of nesting female turtles spend the most of their life, meaning that in addition to their nesting beaches we can also protect important marine habitats where they feed,” said lead author Julia Haywood, of the University of Exeter. “For the rest of the year, many female loggerheads are growing and foraging in the waters off Africa, where mortality in industrialized fisheries and even direct consumption of turtles are still big concerns. “Each year at least 10,000 turtles die as accidental bycatch off North Africa, while illegal trade in turtle meat persists. (2020) Spatial ecology of loggerhead turtles: Insights from stable isotope markers and satellite telemetry.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 27, 2020 08:15 UTC