Turtle Tracking
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Hawksbill Turtle |
Out of the seven species of turtles
worldwide, Kenya is home to five. The leatherback, loggerhead, olive ridley,
hawksbill and green turtle. Here in Mkwiro and around the Kisite and Mpunguti
Marine National Park we are very fortunate to be able to see turtles on an
almost daily basis.
Local residents are usually Greens or
Hawksbills which can be seen, or heard, from the research boat as its head
breaks the surfaces and a gasping breath can be heard. However once in the
water snorkelling one of the transects scattered through the marine park, when you’re
in the turtles territory, is when they are at their most majestic and awe
inspiring.
Most turtles have unique markings on their shell |
Since GVI have been in the Mkwiro area and
working on the marine programme, we have been collecting data on turtle
sightings. Part of this data is taking underwater photos which we are now using
to identify certain species, mainly Greens and Hawksbills.
Some resident turtles here at Kisite can be
identified by distinctive markings such as scarring or shell colouration. One
particular turtle is known for its characteristic lighting shaped scar on its
shell, it has been aptly named ‘Harry Potter’. These turtles can then be
compiled into a catalogue similar to what we use when identifying dolphins.
Once new pictures are taken this is compared to the catalogue and identified as
a resident turtle or a new sighting. It can give us an insight into what kind
of turtles the Marine park is attracting and if they are sticking around. We
can then start to correlate the turtle movements throughout the year including
migratory patterns and life cycles. This identification method is known as
mark-recapture; it is a less invasive technique than tagging and artificial
marking and has effectively been used for many years with the local dolphin
populations.
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Rebecca Marshall- Conservation Intern |
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