Cayman Islands 2003: Loggerhead & Green Turtles

Original provider:
Cayman Islands Department of Environment

Dataset credits:
Data provider
Marine Turtle Research Group
Originating data center
<a href='http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/' target='_blank'>Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT)</a>
Project partner
This project represents a collaborative effort between the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the Marine Turtle Research Group.
Project sponsor or sponsor description
The Department of Environment and MTRG would like to thank Erika and Jacob Olde for their sponsorship of ?Samia? and Year 7 and 8 students of St. Ignatius High School for their sponsorship of Shelby and Myles. St. Ignatius students received generous donations from Rotary International, Bank of Butterfield, <a href=http://www.tortugarums.com>Tortuga Rum Company</a>, and the Final Touch. This research is also supported by <a href=http://www.caymanwildlife.ky>Cayman Wildlife Connection</a>, and a grant from the Natural Environment Research Council to MTRG. Finally, <a href=http://www.sirtrack.com>Sirtrack Inc</a> made this project possible by providing custom-build KiwiSat 101 PTTs almost immediately after St. Ignatius students completed their fund-raising and an order was placed.

Abstract:
When Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands in 1503, he named them Las Tortugas (the turtles). Ferdinand Columbus recounted that the islands were ?full of tortoises, as was all the sea about, insomuch as that they looked like little rocks? The green turtle population was estimated at over 6.5 million turtles at the time of the discovery, and turtle fishing (turtling) came to form the basis of the economy and culture of the Cayman Islands. This historical importance is memorialized in our Coat of Arms and currency, but by the beginning of the 19th century, commercial exploitation had driven the immense green turtle nesting population in the Cayman Islands to the brink of extinction. <br>Wild turtles continue have a central place in the memories and experiences of many of our citizens, but today, only a few dozen nesting sea turtles remain. Where do these endangered greens and loggerheads go after they leave our beaches? With the help of schools and the community, the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the Marine Turtle Research Group have begun a satellite telemetry project to track our historically and culturally important sea turtles for the first time.

原始提供方：开曼群岛环境署（Cayman Islands Department of Environment）
数据集致谢：
数据提供方：海龟研究小组（Marine Turtle Research Group）
原始数据中心：<a href='http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/' target='_blank'>卫星跟踪与分析工具（STAT）</a>
项目合作方：本项目为开曼群岛环境署与海龟研究小组的联合协作成果。
项目资助方说明：环境署与海龟研究小组谨向埃丽卡与雅各布·奥尔德为“萨米娅（Samia）”提供的资助致以谢意，同时感谢圣伊格内修斯高中7、8年级学生为谢尔比（Shelby）与迈尔斯（Myles）提供的资助。圣伊格内修斯高中学生获得了国际扶轮社（Rotary International）、巴特菲尔德银行（Bank of Butterfield）、<a href=http://www.tortugarums.com>托尔图加朗姆酒公司（Tortuga Rum Company）</a>以及Final Touch的慷慨捐赠。本研究同时得到了<a href=http://www.caymanwildlife.ky>开曼野生动物联合会（Cayman Wildlife Connection）</a>的支持，以及自然环境研究委员会（Natural Environment Research Council）向海龟研究小组提供的研究拨款。最后，<a href=http://www.sirtrack.com>Sirtrack有限公司（Sirtrack Inc）</a>在圣伊格内修斯高中学生完成筹款并下单后，迅速为项目定制了KiwiSat 101型卫星传输标签（PTTs），令本项目得以顺利实施。

摘要：
1503年克里斯托弗·哥伦布发现开曼群岛时，将其命名为Las Tortugas（意为“海龟群岛”）。斐迪南·哥伦布曾记述，该群岛“遍布陆龟，周边海域亦是如此，海龟看起来如同小型礁石”。哥伦布发现群岛之际，当地绿海龟种群数量估计超过650万只，海龟捕捞曾是开曼群岛经济与文化的核心支柱。这一历史重要性被镌刻在开曼群岛的国徽与货币之中，但到19世纪初，商业捕捞已令当地庞大的绿海龟筑巢种群濒临灭绝。
野生海龟至今仍是许多当地居民记忆与生活经历的核心组成部分，但如今仅存数十只筑巢海龟。这些濒危的绿海龟与红海龟离开海滩后去向何方？在学校与社区的协助下，开曼群岛环境署与海龟研究小组首次启动了卫星遥测项目，以追踪这些承载着历史与文化意义的海龟。