Gabon 2008-09: Mayumba & Pongara, Leatherback Turtles

A project of Marine Turtle Research Group in conjunction with the partners and sponsors detailed below.

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Introduction

This seasons fieldwork (2008-09) has focused on gathering information on leatherback turtle internesting and postnesting movements from two sites in Gabon. Six transmitters were attached to leatherback turtles nesting in Pongara National Park in December 2008. This park is very close to Libreville, the Capital of Gabon, and receives many visitors during the weekends and holidays periods. A further 4 satellite transmitters were deployed in February 2009 in Mayumba National Park.

The turtles and their transmitters are performing excellently this season.

Project Partners

In conjunction with Parc National de Mayumba, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Gabon Turtle Partnership, Aventures Sans Frontieres and Seaturtle.org, researchers from the University of Exeter have attached satellite transmitters to female leatherback turtles nesting at Mayumba National Park, Gabon .

Project Sponsors

The first season of this project (2005/2006) was part funded by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Shellshock Campaign European Association of Zoos & Aquaria. Satellite transmitters attached in the 2007 and 2008 nesting seasons have been funded by the Large Pelagics Research Centre (University of New Hampshire) through National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency award NA04NMF4550391. Earlier phases of this project were made possible by funding receieved from the Natural Environment Research Council, UK . Work of the Gabon Turtle Partnership is supported by funding from the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund, through the US Fish & Wildlife Service