Sea Turtle Satellite Tagging Expedition at Cocos Island, Costa Rica Swims Into Action:
Seeks Information Needed to Guide Creation of High Seas Marine Protected Areas for Endangered Marine Species
(San José, Costa Rica – Sept 1, 2009)
A 10-day sea turtle tagging research expedition to Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica successfully outfitted three green turtles and one hawksbill turtle with satellite transmitters in order to follow their movements, as part of a long-term research project to understand the importance of Cocos Island for highly pelagic species that migrate throughout the Pacific. Two other green turtles had been previously tagged last March. The aim of the study is to document migration patterns of east Pacific endangered marine species in order to establish protected migration corridors for these species.

Green turtle to be tagged
Each time one of the four sea turtles surfaces for air, the high-tech satellite transmitter, glued to its shell with epoxy, sends a signal to a series of satellites circling the Earth, which determines the turtle location and the water temperature, and sends the information directly to researchers computers.
“The information we are collecting is necessary if we are to protect these amazing species as they migrate thousands of miles across the Pacific, where they encounter industrial fishing operations, which catch and kills thousands of turtles every year,” said Randall Arauz, President of the Costa Rican NGO, and co-leader of the trip.
In total, 26 sea turtles were also marked given permanent flipper ID tags and nine turtles received acoustic tags, which are recorded by underwater receivers placed around Cocos Island, as well as other sites in the Pacific, including the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, and Malpelo Island, Colombia.
“If we don’t better manage industrial fisheries to avoid interactions with the ancient sea turtles that out-survived the dinosaurs, we will lose some species in the very near future,” warned Todd Steiner, a biologist and executive director of the US-based Turtle Island Restoration Network, and co-leader of the trip with Arauz. “The best way to do this is to understand turtle migrations and reduce fishing effort, especially in migration hot-spots.”

Attaching the satellite transmitter
In addition to tagging sea turtles, a total of 6 more scalloped hammerhead sharks were equipped with acoustical tags on this trip, for a total of 60 since the project initiated in 2005. Previous tagged hammerheads indicate the sharks move back and forth between Cocos, Galapagos, and Malpelo Islands. Furthermore, a new permit was issued to PRETOMA for the collection of tissue samples to set up a marine shark and turtle “gene bank”, for genetic analysis, and samples from 20 turtles and 18 white-tip sharks, were collected that will be made available to researchers.
According to Arauz, the information generated so far is proving that Cocos Island is an important feeding, resting, and nursery location for many pelagic species of sharks and turtles. “To protect this international gem, Costa Rica must enact larger no-fishing zones around the island and increase enforcement activities,” said Arauz.
Participants included biologists and research assistants from Costa Rica, US, Colombia, Australia, and Bellarus, and the expedition used the excellent support services and accommodations of the Costa Rican-based UnderSea Hunter live-aboard dive company.
For more pictures of the turtle/shark tagging expedition, click here
The expedition was supported by the Whitley Fund for Nature, the BBC Wildlife Fund, and Pretoma’s Corporate Membership.

Releasing the turtle
For more information, contact:
Randall Arauz, PRETOMA, Costa Rica. (506) 2241 5227, rarauz@pretoma.org; info@pretoma.org
Todd Steiner, Turtle Island Restoration Network, 415-663-8590 X103, tsteiner@tirn.net
Pretoma is a Costa Rican Civil Association of Public Interest and is an active member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN and the World Society for the Protection of Animals WSPA. For more information visit www.pretoma.org
Turtle Island Restoration Network is an international marine conservation organization headquartered in California, which works to protect sea turtles and marine biodiversity around the world. For more information, visit www.SeaTurtles.orgRastrean con Satélites a las Tortugas Marinas de la Isla del Coco, Costa Rica
Investigadores Buscan Información Para Fomentar la Creación de Areas Marinas Protegidas en Alta Mar para Especies Marinas Amenazadas
(San José, Costa Rica – 1 de Setiembre, 2009)
Luego de una expedición de 10 días a la Isla del Coco, investigadores lograron equipar a tres tortugas verde y una tortuga de carey con transmisores satelitales para seguir sus movimientos, como parte de una investigación de largo plazo que busca comprender la importancia de la Isla del Coco para especies pelágicas que migran a través del Pacífico. Otras dos tortugas verde habían sido marcadas previamente durante una expedición realizada en marzo. El objetivo del estudio es documentar los patrones migratorios de las especies marinas amenazadas del Pacífico Oriental, con el fin de que se establezcan corredores migratorios para protegerlas.

Tortuga verde para marcar
Cada vez que una de las tortugas marcadas sale a la superficie para respirar, un transmisor satelital de alta tecnología adherido al caparazón utilizando epoxy, envía una señal a una serie de satélites que circulan la Tierra, y de esta manera determina la localización de la tortuga y la temperatura del agua, y envía esta información directamente a las computadores de los investigadores.
“La información que estamos recopilando es necesaria si queremos brindar protección a estas increíbles criaturas mientras migran miles de kilómetros a través del Pacífico, donde deben enfrentar la amenaza de las pesquerías industriales, que capturan y matan miles de tortugas marinas cada año”, dijo Randall Arauz, Presidente de la organización costarricense Pretoma, co director de la expedición.
En total, el equipo capturó y marcó 26 tortugas marinas con marcas metálicas en las aletas delanteras, nueve de las cuales también fueron marcadas con transmisores acústicos, cuyas emisiones ultrasónicas pueden ser escuchadas por receptores subacuáticos instalados alrededor de la Isla del Coco, así como por receptores instalados en las Islas Galápagos (Ecuador) y la Isla Malpelo (Colombia).
“Si no mejoramos el manejo de las pesquerías industriales para evitar interacciones con las tortugas marinas, tan antiguas que hasta sobrevivieron la extinción de los dinosaurios, podríamos perder algunas especies en un futuro muy cercano”, advirtió Todd Stiener, co-director de la expedición junto con Arauz. “La mejor manera de hacer esto es comprender las migraciones de las tortugas marinas y reducir el esfuerzo pesquero, especialmente donde ocurre alta interacción de pesquerías con tortugas”.

Se adhire el transmisor satelite
Además del trabajo realizado con tortugas, el equipo marcó 6 tiburones martillo más con transmisores acústicos, para sumar un total de 60 tiburones marcados desde el inicio del proyecto en el 2005. Tiburones martillo previamente marcados han demostrado movimientos entre la Isla del Coco, las Islas Galápagos y la Isla Malpelo. El Ministerio de Ambiente también otorgó recientemente un permiso a Pretoma para crear un banco de tejidos de tortugas y tiburones para análisis genéticos, el cual ahora incluye 20 tortugas y 18 tiburones punta blanca de arrecife procedentes de la Isla del Coco, y será puesta a disposición de investigadores que lo soliciten formalmente.
Según Arauz, la información generada hasta ahora está probando que la Isla del Coco es un importante sitio para la alimentación, descanso y cría de muchas especies pelágicas de tiburones y tortugas. “Para proteger a esta joya internacional, Costa Rica debe aumentar el área marina protegida alrededor de la Isla del Coco donde se limitan las actividades pesqueras, e incrementar las actividades de vigilancia.
Participantes incluyeron a biólogos y asistentes de investigación procedentes de Costa Rica, EEUU, Colombia, Australia, y Bellarus, y se utilizaron los excelentes servicios de la compañía de buceo costarricense Undersea Hunter.
Para más fotografías de la expedición haga click aquí
La expedición contó con el apoyo de la Whitley Fund for Nature, la BBC Wildlife Fund, y la Membresía Corporativa de Pretoma.

Se libera la tortuga
Para más información contacte a
Randall Arauz, PRETOMA, Costa Rica. (506) 2241 5227, rarauz@pretoma.org; info@pretoma.org
Todd Steiner, Turtle Island Restoration Network, 415-663-8590 X103, tsteiner@tirn.net
PRETOMA en una Asociación Civil costarricense declarada de Utilidad Pública, y es miembro active de la Unión Internacional Para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) y la Sociedad Mundial Para la Protección Animal (WSPA). Para más información visite: www.pretoma.org
Turtle Island Restoration Network es una organización de conservación internacional con sede en San Francisco, California, el cual trabaja en la protección de tortuga marinas y la la biodiversidad marina alrededor del mundo. Para más información visite: www.SeaTurtles.org
I hope to register for the may Cocos trip and am looking for help in doing so, as I haven’t discovered the registration link on the
site.
thanks 7145059024
Your emails have been forwarded to Randall Arauz. He will contact you with more information regarding the May trip.
This is a very noble project. The cost for these devices plus the satellite use cost is not a joke! -it is expensive. We thank you for the determination to save the Turtles and the natural environment. I hope this study will be fruitful and be able to create programs and policies around the world to save the Turtles.
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