Our team will conduct studies on the behavior, physiology and migration patterns of the leatherback turtles on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. We will help tag and identify turtles, record nest locations and help determine hatchling success. Researchers and scientists have been working with these turtles in for the past 17 years in attempt to understand the impact of human activities and pollution. This work has led to the establishment of a National Park and a Marine Biology field station.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

So last night we saw a ............


You guessed it - a great big leatherback turtle! Only one night down and already so much to tell you. Our favourite thing so far was when we released 5 new hatchlings back into the sea. We had our own mini turtle race right there on the beach at around midnight under a beautiful full moon. What fun!!! I'm sorry to say that mine was close to last, but not by much. Ms. Seshadri's won by a flipper! It is incredible how strong and agile they are. They are small enought to fit in the plam of your hand and look like exact minatures of the adults that can reach up to 2m in length.

posted by Fiona O'Doherty & Jennifer Seshadri @ 3:38 PM

8 Comments:

At January 24, 2008 4:54 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thats so cool! We watched the turtle movie today with mr. mccue

ariana
class vi, marymount

 
At January 24, 2008 5:54 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I got goosebumps reading about your race under the full moon. I can't wait to see and hear more.

Susan J

 
At January 24, 2008 9:01 PM , Anonymous A class 6 student said...

that's awesome! the turtle movie was coool. we miss you!

 
At January 24, 2008 11:18 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love reading your updates, especially the reports from the beach. I'm looking forward to seeing more photos and hearing more about the turtles and your work/study.

Martha E

 
At January 26, 2008 2:04 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a terrific experience. I wish that I was with you to see all! How wonderful to see those small creatures make their way to the water. Isn't instinct marvelous! Can't wait to see more. Barbara L-S

 
At January 28, 2008 10:09 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi ms. o'd!!!
how's the weather? i hope your flight was ok, but i have to tell you that we miss you. math is definitely not the same...
anyways, how greatly do the sizes of the different turtles vary?
see you soon!
sara shea X

 
At January 28, 2008 1:12 PM , Anonymous Class IVB said...

Hi, Ms. Seshadri,

Class IVB misses you dearly, and we are all very jealous you are in the warm, sunny weather. Our class thought of some great questions for you. Here are a few on them.

1. How many baby turtles does a mommy turtle give birth to?
2. Are leatherback sea turtles the most endangered turtle species?
3. Why do turtles go to the same beach where they are born to lay their eggs?

Write back when you can.

xo
Class IVB

 
At January 31, 2008 3:40 PM , Blogger Fiona O'Doherty said...

Hi Sara - thanks for the question. The average weight of a female sea turtle is about 450 kg (around 1000lbs!), but one os 600kg have been found. The hatchlings weigh about 50g and look like exact replicas of the adult - amazing small but agile. The average carapace lenght is about 150 cm which is close to 5 feet.

 

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