Three pacific loggerhead turtles have crossed the North Pacific to Japan

1. Three pacific loggerhead turtles September 2, 2001

There have been lots of reports regarding sea turtles from the Sea Turtle Association of Japan, which had landed on the coasts of Japan for nesting or been stranded to the shores since the early summer. For further informations, please refer to the Association's homepage. I am particularly impressed with one of the topics in "Umigame Sokuhou" delivered by the association, which I would like to present to you. (A unit has been changed from miles in the original to meters).

Kyodo News Service :August 11, 2001

 According to a follow up survey by Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute, in San Diego, it was confirmed on August 11 that three pacific loggerhead turtles , which had been released off shore of San Diego, California, US, to Japan, their mother land, by the Institute early October, last year, have safely crossed the Pacific Ocean and one of them has already arrived at Kashima-nada. The first one, "Buppa", male, has swum almost 10,000km and reached 16km eastern off shore between Iwaki-City, Fukushima, and Hitachi-city, Ibaragi. Other two females, "Crackers" and "Mihali", are approaching about 2,000km off the coast of Japan.
 
 Although these three turtles lived in an aquarium in San Diego since the mid 1960's, it is very likely that they had been born in Japan according to their DNA analysis. Therefore, they were released for the research of their homing ability. A transmitter had been installed into a carapace of each turtle, with which a radio wave has been received through a satellite to analyze a route and the speed of their movement. Consequently it was confirmed that the turtles have been swimming following the area of the temperature between 16-24 ℃, which is distributed across the Pacific Ocean, as a route in the ocean.

 Three mature turtles weighed between 113-136kg when released. From the beginning they had taken a course to Japan about 9,700km away and have been swimming directly to Japan. They moved 30-40km per day in average. The reason why two females were delayed is considered because they have been stopping at reefs for food.



 One of the turtles, which had been installed a transmitter and released by Dr. Scott Echert in San Diego, arrived at the shore of Japan. A replacement was installed to it by a staff of the Association to continue the recording. If we can hopefully follow its movement, precious data will be obtained with which we can study how the turtle from the US joins a breeding colony in Japan. We have been recieving a lot of reports regarding hatching of the sea turtles from all over Japan.

 What the amazing existence the seaturtles are manipulating human beings like this ! 

 by Dr. Naoki Kamezaki(the Sea Turtle Association of Japan)


Remarks of the secretariat of AUNJ

 What do you think about this? What a voyage! You can imagine how I was impressed with this story.

 Why did people predict the sea turtles, which had once lived in aquarium in California, to go back to Japan, their homeland, after released to the sea? There are scarecely any islands or reefs around a route in the North Pacific from San Diego to the central coast of Japan. How ccould they obtain water and food even though they are omnivorous? How could they avoid sharkes, particularly "Tiger Sharks" , their natural enemies, that attack body surfers mistaken for sea turtles? Or didn't they encounter typhoon 12 when they were approaching Japan?

 Since Dr. Kamezaki, the president of the Sea Turtle
Association of Japan, and other members of the Association are now busy obsereving activities of sea turtles in the middle of their nesting season, I do not want to bother them. Although I will ask them some advices from time to time, I am going to refer to literature myself in order to peep the secret world of the sea turtles. I will inform you as soon as other news has arrived.


2.The route of the turtles April 24, 2002

Dr. Scott Eckert, Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute
   (April 18, 2002)

 "Mihali", female, one of three pacific loggerhead turtles,
which had been released off shore of California in October 2000 and been the last of three to travel the sea, has approached the coast of Japan and was confirmed to be swimming in the eastern sea of Yaku-shima. "Mihali" might land for nesting on the sandy beach of the Nansei Islands in this breeding season. Another female, "Crackers", which was caught in the Sendai-wan last November and released, might land as well. These two female turtles were installed a transmitter on their back and attached a tug to their right forefoot. The tugs are, for"Crackers", X154 to her right forefoot, for "Mihali", X83 at the groin of her right forefoot. If anyone has a sight of them, please immediately report it to the Sea Turtle Association of Japan.

 I have found a good news among the reports regarding sea
tutles from the Sea Turtle Association of Japan. That was a follow-up report about three sea turtles which had first been introduced last September and have crossed the Pacific Ocean.

Dr. Scott Eckert (April 21, 2002)

 Last time I have reported that "Mihali", one of three pacific loggerhead turtles, which had been released off shore of California in October 2000, had been found to be swimming in the eastern sea of Yaku-shima. It was confirmed on April 21 that this turtle has been swimming near Muroto-misaki. I would like to ask the local fishermen of Shikoku and the Kii-hanto to observe carefully, because they might come across the turtle.


3.Recent locations of Mihari May 28, 2002

 Yesterday I visited the Sea Turtle Association of Japan,
Hirakata-City, Osaka. "Mihali", female, one of three pacific loggerhead turtles, which had been released off shore of California in October 2000 and been the last of the three to travel the sea, was reported to have approached to the coast of Japan. She was witnessed near Yaku-shima in mid-April and later near Muroto. According to the reports, she has been swimming near the Izu Islands. She was witnessed near Kushimoto, Nanki, on May 14, then between Hachijo-jima and Mikura-jima a week later and was confirmed its whereabout at south-east of Miyake-jima on May 23. I am interested in where she choses as a place for nesting.


to be continued



 presented by the secretariat of AUNJ:
 translated by Sirabe Maruta, Staff of the secretariat
 edited by Yutaka Yogo (Ph.D), Representative of AUNJ

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