In 2015, the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch (AMITW) began a sea turtle education and conservation project to study the migration patterns of threatened loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) nesting on Anna Maria Island on the Gulf coast of Florida. The study will reveal important information about the turtle’s migratory behavior, including migratory routes, foraging grounds, and the areas of potential conflict with commercial fisheries or legal harvest of sea turtles. This critical information will enhance the ability of resource managers and conservationists in their efforts to protect loggerheads, both in U.S. waters and through international conservation efforts.The satellite transmitter attached to each loggerhead sends signals to orbiting satellites each time the turtles surface to breath. The data will be collected and downloaded to STC researchers. The information gained from this study will improve estimates of adult nesting population size, identify movement patterns and expand the knowledge on feeding ecology.

Educational migration maps will show the best location points of the turtle’s movements and locations. This will allow interested persons all over the world to watch along as researchers discover where the sea turtles travel after nesting. Through STC’s online educational program, the public is invited to watch along on the Internet as we learn more about these amazing animals.

For more information on sea turtles, check out the Sea Turtles Information section of our website.