The loggerhead sea turtle is a threatened species frequently sighted in the region of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary . A fair amount is known about female loggerhead sea turtles that are nesting, but little information exists on seasonal behaviors and daily foraging and movement cycles of juveniles, subadults and adult males, which comprise the majority of the sea turtle population. Our efforts to protect this species are constrained by the limited amount of reliable data about the sea turtles.
Protection requires additional data about the turtles' habitat availability, use, and preference.
Loggerheads are captured in the sanctuary by divers, who direct the sea turtle into a handheld net, carry them to the surface, and lift them onto a vessel with a mechanical winch. Once on board, measurements are taken, flipper tags are attached, and identifying microchips are inserted into the right shoulder muscle. A blood sample is obtained from the large sinus cavity located on the neck of the animal. Information is downloaded remotely from the satellite transmitter every 4 days. The satellite transmitter gives us information such as number of dives, depth, and temperature.