London zoo to track rare turtles across Indian Ocean

U.K. researchers will be attaching satellite tags to a number of hawksbill turtles, in efforts to learn how to better protect the endangered species.

Scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) say turtle mothers come to the same beach up to eight times a year to lay eggs, but many of the nests are often raided.

The researchers will be monitoring the mothers' journeys across the Indian Ocean to see where they go for the rest of the year.

State-of-the-art satellite tags will be attached to the shells of two or three female hawksbills to track their journey. The society hopes to expand the study to a greater number in the future.

The researchers believe that a better understanding of the turtles' migratory routes will help them discover the connection to differences in turtle populations.

The tracking project was first set-up three years ago to protect turtle nests in remote areas of Northern Mozambique. So far, the ZSL has protected more than 300 hawksbill and green turtle nests in the area.

Hawksbill turtles are currently suffering from excessive poaching, fishing, and loss of habitat.

Photography: The Placencia Breeze

Source: Discovery Channel Reports, August 4 edition