Where do the Hatchlings Go?

May 3, 2016

From the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

USGS Mama Research: Where do the Hatchlings Go? Every two to three years, most female loggerhead sea turtles return to their nesting beach – the one where they were born themselves -- to deposit 4-7 nests. In each nest, they lay on average 100–126 eggs; these hatch after about 60 days. But where do the hatchlings go once they’re born? With the help of beach surveys, satellite tracking and modeling simulations, USGS scientists predicted likely routes used by hatchlings as they swam from their nests in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Results indicated that hatchlings dispersed widely, however, some loggerheads from nesting beaches in the GOM most likely stay in the basin throughout their lives. Read more:http://bit.ly/1SJ2fnN #MothersDay
FWS
Photo: A loggerhead hatchling makes its way to the ocean. Photo: USFWS/Orsulak


#Turtle #Reptile