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How can I get involved in the Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program?
If you are either conducting, or will be conducting, sea turtle tracking research and you are interested in becoming involved with the first, and most comprehensive (over 125 sea turtles have been tracked through this site!), online Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program by adding turtles that you are tracking, please e-mail Dan Evans (drevans@cccturtle.org) or David Godfrey (david@cccturtle.org) for details and additional information.
When you become involved in the Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program, we will generate maps of the turtles you are tracking (you are more than welcome to use these maps in reports, funding request, or any purpose you choose). As you will notice, each map page is designed to protect your research data by discouraging image copying and stating that "the presentation of data here does not constitute publication, and the researchers who contributed this data retain all intellectual property rights."
Researchers tracking sea turtles only need to provide weekly updates via e-mail that include transmitter ID, latitude, longitude and date. If you are already receiving data, we ask that you provide a release location point, as well as several past location points so that the map will not be incomplete.
How do I benefit from being a part of the Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program?
As part of the Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program, each project receives its own promotional web page with details about you, your department, group or agency, the goals of the project, background information on your study site, funding sources and any links to promote to your department, group or agency.
Though the focus of the Education Program is on teachers wishing to incorporate this program into classroom activities, anyone in the world with Internet access can participate in the program, resulting in an international veiwership. As a result, researchers taking part in the program have been able to find continuing funding through demonstrating that their research project has an educational component. An important element for many foundations and founding sources.
Some website statistics for your consideration:
- The site currently receives an average of over 7,000 page views a day! During 2005 the site received over 16 million hits. (Additional site demographic information)
- Since its launch in 1996, the site has had visitors from 161 countries around the world. The home page alone receives over 945,000 hits per month. And nearly 19% of the visitors are located outside the United States.
- Since 1998, over 14,500 teachers, representing nearly 507,500 students, have registered to receive copies of the Educator’s Guide. Since the publication became available from the website, we believe the numbers of teachers and students participating may be considerably higher. Read visitor's comments.
- This site, mostly as a result of the Education Program, has received 24 awards.
- The Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program has involved over 150 sea turtles, representing nearly 30 research projects.
In addition, when you become involved you can choose to have all, or some, of your tracked turtles become part of the CCC/STSL Adopt-A-Turtle Program. It is hoped that by providing this online program, that visitors and "adopters" will be compelled to learn more about your project, your study site, general sea turtle biology, the threats sea turtles face and the ways in which they can help protect sea turtles. Funding from the Adopt-A-Turtle program helps keep the education program free, and also supports sea turtle research and conservation efforts.
Some Satellite Tracking Resources
Currently, all satellite tags that are commercially available must go through the ARGOS system.
Argos Inc. - North America
Argos System Contacts (English)
Norte Activite Contacts (FRANÇAIS)
Nuestra Actividad Contactos (ESPAÑOL)
The following is a list of suppliers approved to produce satellite transmitters and have designs appropriate for use on sea turtles. (View the List of Certified Argos Transmitter Manufacturers).
Introduction to Argos/PTT tracking. pdf file by Sirtrack
Using PTTs to track seaturtles. pdf file by Sirtrack
Is an Argos satellite tag right for your study? by Wildlife Computers
Sea Turtle Tagging on seaturtle.org
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