Timber
Bald Head Island 2003: Loggerhead Turtles
A project of Marine Turtle Research Group.
 click map for full-size version This transmitter terminated on 10th May 2004.
See Tracking FAQâs for possible reasons for transmitter failure. We hope Timber may nest again in 2005. We would like to extend special thanks to all our sponsors and donors!
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Species: Loggerhead
Life Stage: Adult
Gender: Female
Release Date: 2003-07-09 00:00:00
Release Location: Bald Head Island, North Carolina
Last Location: 2004-05-10 13:10:34
Adoptive Parents:
Lyndsay Kenwright
Corey Higgins
Heather Gerrard
Courtney Bailey
Tessa Franken
Lee R. Williams
Jack Presant
Alex Kiouressis
Greg and Christianne Smith
Kathy Davies
Jodi Thompson
Cynthia Reif
Taylor Haase
Rachel Speckenbach
Kyle Miles
Max Franks
Alex, Billy, Brett and Tori
Robert W. Kost
Background
"Timber" was intercepted while nesting on the 9th July, 2003, and was given a Telonics ST-18 satellite transmitter. She was named by supporters of the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky, USA, and will feature in a documentary film commissioned by the Aquarium. Timber was the fourth adult female loggerhead to be tracked from Bald Head Island. She had no previous nesting history at Bald Head Island although she did have scars on her flipper scales that may suggest that she had been tagged before. Timber's shell is 98cm long and 72cm wide. Thatâs quite normal for turtles from this area of the world, but is large by comparison with loggerhead from the rest of the world. After returning the ocean, Timber moved directly north without stopping and reached Cape May, New Jersey by 26th July (that's a distance of 1055 km or 650 miles in just over 3 weeks!). She remained at Cape May for 12 weeks feeding on both sides of the Cape at any distance up to 10km offshore. The folks at NJ Audubon society have informed us that horseshoe crabs have been plentiful in the Cape May waters in the fall months â it may be that Timber has found this abundant and favourite food source and is filling up for the winter. On the 16th October, Timber left Cape May and headed South, probably in response to a drop in water temperatures. She crossed into North Carolina waters again on the 25th October (over 700km or 435 miles in 9 days!) and reached Cape Fear again on the 12th November. After 18 weeks foraging in the deepest waters of the turtles in this study at Cape Fear, she also responded to increasing water temperatures and headed North. Having left on the 18th March, Timber travelled slowly to the mouth of the Chesapeake bay, perhaps foraging on route as she travelled. Her transmitter sent it's last signals from that area and we suspect she may be chasing spawning horseshow crabs in the Chesapeake bay.
