Sea turtle goes high tech
Rarely seen large reptile caught up in fishing nets is fitted with a transmitter, released back to sea
A sea turtle that got caught in fishing nets off the Israeli coast Saturday was released back into the water with a satellite transmitter attached to its shell on Sunday.
The large turtle is of a species whose males visit Israeli waters only once every 10 years. The females come to Israel’s shores every year to lay their eggs.
The transmitter, flown in from Italy, will enable marine researchers to track the little known activities of the turtle as it plies the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority operates a sea turtle rescue center that aims to rehabilitate the creatures and assist them during their annual egg-laying season along some of Israel’s beaches.
The first hatch of sea turtles of the year was discovered on Nitzanim Beach, near Ashkelon.