Missy (RRV341)

TAMUG/NPS/NRDA Kemp's ridley nesters 2012

A project of Texas A&M at Galveston/TESTR Lab.

click map for full-size version Missy(RRV341/RRV316)is a Kemp's ridley discovered nesting on the West End of Galveston Island, Texas by members of TAMUG'S Sea Turtle Patrol on 27 April 2012. Missy was outfitted with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 101 satellite transmitter by the TAMUG Trophic Ecology and Sea Turtle Research Lab and released at her nesting location later that same day. Please note that there is a degree of error associated with satellite tracking, and tracks on land may either indicate a nesting attempt or be inaccurate.

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Species: Kemp's Ridley
Life Stage: Adult
Gender: Female
Release Date: 2012-04-27 16:30:00
Release Location: Galveston, TX
Last Location: 2012-05-25 16:44:33

Adoptive Parents:
Abigail and Spencer
Karen Lader, Mother

Background

TAMUG's volunteer Sea Turtle Patrol members, Phil and Kathleen Roth observed "Missy" emerging from the water on Galveston Islands West End at 11:55 am on 27 April 2012. After laying her nest of 103 eggs, Missy was transported to the NOAA Sea Turtle Facility in Galveston, Texas. The presence of a living tag and a coded wire tag confirmed that Missy is a member of the 1989 year class headstarted at the NOAA Sea Turtle Facility in Galveston, Texas.
Missy's eggs were excavated by marine biologists from Texas A&M University at Galveston and transported to Padre Island National Seashore for incubation and subsequent hatchling release. Houston Zoo staff performed a post-nesting ultrasound which revealed the presence of developing follicles, indicating that Missy will likely nest again in 2-4 weeks.

This female is the third Kemp's ridley to be outfitted with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 101 satellite transmitter in 2012. She was released at her nest site later the same day. Missy is named in honor of Melissa Porter of the Texas General Land Office, who oversaw a grant awarded to the TAMUG STFERL to conduct the first formal nesting patrols of the upper Texas coast on Galveston Island during 2007.

Missy was satelitte tagged previously in 2006 and 2008 and documented nesting in 2010 by TAMUG STFERL and now satellite tagged for a third time in 2012 by TAMUG Trophic Ecology and Sea Turtle Research Lab.