Meet Archimede: The Resilient Sea Turtle
Archimede, a sea turtle named after the famous Greek mathematician and physicist, was discovered stranded on Ré Island in May. Despite being one of the smaller turtles at the Aquarium, Archimede quickly grew to a weight of 546 g and a SCL (straight carapace length) of 15.3 cm before being released back into the wild.
A Journey Across the Atlantic
After release, Archimede embarked on an amazing journey covering over 760 km. This may seem like a small distance compared to other sea turtles, but it is still an remarkable feat for this little turtle.
Unlike Galilée, another sea turtle who was released simultaneously occurring as Archimede and traveled much further, Archimede’s journey took him southwards along the French Atlantic coast before reaching northern Spain. From there, he continued westwards along the continental shelf and looped back towards Spain before settling in the Bay of Biscay.
Analyzing Data for Insights
The data collected from tags attached to these sea turtles is currently being analyzed by Tony Candela. As an Oceanographic Researcher for Upwell and doctoral candidate at Toulouse University, Tony works with a team of experts including Dr. george Shillinger, Dr. Fred Vandeperre, Florence Dell’Amico and Dr. Patrick Lehodey (Mercator Ocean International) to understand these turtles’ movements.
By studying the location data of each turtle and pairing it with real-time environmental data such as ocean currents and water temperature, Tony hopes to uncover the reasons behind their movements. For example, by looking at maps of surface currents, temperature, and bathymetry (ocean depth), he can gain insights into how these factors may influence a sea turtle’s journey.
Collaborating for Conservation
Tony provides weekly updates on his analysis to an international team of collaborators until all tags cease transmitting. This collaboration is crucial in understanding the behavior and movements of sea turtles in order to better protect them.
What an important initiative to help protect and conserve these magnificent creatures!