In an effort to protect sea turtles, the Bonaire-based Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) launched a satellite tracking program. The program kicked off on June 8, 2005 when the first male hawksbill turtle was fitted with a transmitter and released. To learn more about the turtles’ migratory patterns, their behavior at sea and where their marine habitats are located STCB plans to place up to four transmitters on turtles this year.

Turtle tracking works through signals sent out by the transmitter, which is switched on whenever the turtle comes to the surface to breathe. Transmissions are collected by receivers onboard weather satellites, yielding location data for each turtle. This data is emailed daily to STCB.

For more information on this program and the organisation visit www.bonaireturtles.org.

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