Scientists have discovered that young sea turtles are active swimmers during their “lost years” in the Gulf of Mexico, challenging previous assumptions that they drifted passively with ocean currents.
Using satellite trackers, researchers from the University of Central Florida and LGL Ecological Research Associates tagged 114 young turtles, including endangered green turtles, loggerheads, hawksbills, and Kemp’s ridleys, and tracked their movements for weeks to months.
The data revealed that the turtles actively swim, making their own decisions about where to go in the ocean, and move between continental shelf waters and open ocean.
This research provides valuable insights into the critical “lost years” of sea turtle development and highlights the importance of the Gulf of Mexico as a habitat for endangered species.