Leatherback Sea Turtle from Panama, in Marathon with GPS

  There are currently 10 sea turtles in a migration marathon journey of 2,620 kilometers (1,628 miles), that are being tracked online. The event, called Tour de Turtles is put on by  Sea Turtle Conservancy is in it's third year.  The event is aimed at increasing awareness about different sea turtle species and the threats to their survival. Dawn, an adult female leatherback sea turtle who was encountered nesting on June 5, 2010, in Zone 7 on Chiriquí Beach in Panama is in the marathon. Dawn measures 145.5 cm in curved carapace (shell) length.   You can view a slideshow of the transmitter's  attachment and Dawn's release here. You can also follow along as she swims here.

Dawn is sponsored by the Casa Tortuga, a non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting the protection of threatened and endangered sea turtles . She is swimming to raise awareness about the threat of Marine Pollution - Oil Spills, to sea turtles. You can support Dawn's cause by adopting a turtle in her name here. 

After departing from important nesting sites in the Western Hemisphere, the sea turtles will be monitored using Platform Terminal Transmitters (PTT) that send signals via satellite to record their locations and the distances travelled. The data is then uploaded to interactive maps on the Tour de Turtles website. Because the turtles will be released at different times, depending on the species, the distance traveled by each turtle will not be counted until the last turtle is released in Florida. This will ensure that the first turtles released don’t get a head start in completing the marathon. Each participating sea turtle will have a spot on the “leader board,” which will provide an overview of the turtle's progress.

While one turtle will be declared the marathon winner, Tour de Turtles includes a second level of competition, the Causes Challenge, that will have a direct impact on sea turtle conservation. Each turtle will be swimming to raise awareness about a particular threat to sea turtle survival. In learning about each turtle and their cause, fans of Tour de Turtles will be invited to donate toward one or more turtle Causes. A donation meter for each turtle will monitor the pace at which people are supporting the various Causes. The turtle that generates the most support by the conclusion will win the Causes Challenge.

Go Dawn!!!