'Lost' Sea Turtles are Extremely Active Swimmers

Sea turtles don't take things lying down. Scientists have taken a closer look at sea turtles at the ages of six to 18 months and have found that even then, they are extremely active swimmers. The findings reveal a bit more about these animals and pave the way for better understanding where these turtles travel in the first years of life.

"all species of sea turtles are endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act; knowing their distribution is an essential part of protecting them," said Nathan Putman, one of the researchers, in a news release. "With a better understanding of swimming behavior in these yearlings we can make better predictions about where they go and what risks they may encounter."

After young sea turtles hatch, they swim offshore and then disperse with the help of ocean currents. The turtles are then only rarely observed during the next two to ten years of their lives. Prior studies, though, suggest that at least some of these turtles reside among mats of seaweed. Even so, though, not much is known about the turtles' "lost years."

In order to find out more, the researchers placed specially designed solar-powered tags on 24 green and 20 Kemp's ridley wild-caught sea turtle toddlers in the Gulf of Mexico. Then, the scientists tracked the tags by satellite for a short period of time.

In the end, the researchers found that the sea turtles were actively swimming rather than passively drifting. This swimming allows the turtles to remain in favorable ocean conditions.

"The results of our study have huge implications for better understanding early sea turtle survival and behavior, which may ultimately lead to new and innovative ways to further protect these imperiled animals," said Kate Mansfield, one of the researchers.

The findings are published in the journal Current Biology.

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