Isla Gaia (YYA778) - Sea Grant

TAMUG Kemp's Ridley Tracking

A project of TAMUG Sea Turtle and Fisheries Ecology Research Lab.

click map for full-size version Isla Gaia (YYA778), a wild, adult female Kemp's ridley outfitted with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 101 transmitter, was released from Isla Blanca beach on the south end of South Padre Island, Texas on 1 May 2010.

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Species: Kemp's Ridley
Life Stage: Adult
Gender: Female
Release Date: 2010-05-01 22:41:00
Release Location: South Padre Island
Last Location: 2010-06-03 18:21:23

Adoptive Parents:
Nicole Olsen

Background

Isla Gaia" (YYA778) is a wild, adult female Kemp's ridley sea turtle found nesting on South Padre Island, Texas by a visitor near beach access #6 on 29 April 2010. Sea Turtle, Inc. nesting patrollers responded to the nesting event and retrieved "Isla Gaia" for satellite tag attachment and subsequent tracking. She was outfitted with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 101 satellite transmitter by Sea Turtle and Fisheries Ecology Research Lab (STFERL) personnel from Texas A&M University at Galveston and released from Isla Blanca Park on the south end of South Padre Island on 1 May 2010 as part of ongoing research into the movements and habitat use patterns of Kemp's ridley nesters in the western Gulf of Mexico.
This nester was nicknamed "Isla Gaia" by Sea Turtle, Inc. personnel, which means "Island Mother Earth." Special thanks go to Jeff George and Sea Turtle, Inc. for their collaboration in providing this turtle for satellite tracking. "Isla Gaia" is the first adult female Kemp's ridley nesting on South Padre Island to be satellite tagged and tracked by the STFERL . Other TAMUG STFERL tracks are available on the "TAMUG Kemp's Ridley Nesters 2007-2008", "TAMUG Kemp's Ridley Tracking 2007", "TAMUG Kemp's Ridley Tracking 2004-2006", "TAMUG Green Turtle Tracking", and "TAMUG Loggerhead Tracking" pages.