Track turtles with ... satellites

Activities to monitor populations of satellite green turtles have been successfully deployed in Con Dao to provide information to conservationists to protect this threatened marine species.

Le Xuan Ai, Director of Con Dao National Park, said the signaling devices were mounted on three green turtles, and today, after a month, all three devices are still signaling location and movement path of turtles.

For the first time in Vietnam turtles are tracked by satellites (Photo: VTC)

With satellite tracking, conservationists can gather information on how to feed, reproduce and migrate sea turtles. 'The satellite tracking results have exceeded our expectations,' said Ai.

Satellite monitoring of sea turtles was first carried out in Vietnam to protect marine turtle breeding grounds in Con Dao - the most important spawning area of ​​marine turtles in Vietnam.

Sea turtles have been protected on spawning grounds in Con Dao for about 10 years now with tens of thousands of young turtles released annually and mother turtles wearing tags to monitor reproductive behavior and population status. However, according to Keith Symington, WWF Vietnam Marine Program Coordinator, many sea turtles still die after coming to the breeding grounds due to fishing nets or degraded habitats.

This satellite tracking activity is within the framework of a marine turtle research and conservation program in Vietnam funded by the Danish Embassy (DANIDA).

The program is implemented by the Vietnam Program of WWF Greater Mekong in collaboration with IUCN Vietnam, Ministry of Fisheries, and Con Dao National Park with technical support from the Marine Research Foundation.

Tu Hoang