Satellite tracking of female green turtles Chelonia mydas at Ma'Daerah Turtle Sanctuary, Malaysia

Abstract

Two KiwiSAT 101 satellite transmitters were deployed in July 2003 on female green turtle (Chelonia mydas) for the purpose of understanding their inter-nesting migration. The study was conducted at Ma' Daerah Turtle sanctuary in Kertih, Terengganu, Malaysia. The data received were analysed and plotted on to a digital map to estimate the travel points and distance travelled. The turtles roamed the water in the vicinity of nesting site and rarely travelled far during the nesting season. The furthest distant travelled to the sea (East) is approximately 42.4 km, to the South 44.4 km and to the north 7.8 km. Percentage of GPS location near (5-12 nm) nesting shore was 83.3% and far (>12 nm) was 16.7%. From this study, it is suggested that the strict/compulsory conservation boundary within the selected nesting site should be between 0-12 nm and additional 45 km for the outer boundary.