Smarttie/RRV231

TAMUG Kemp's Ridley Tracking 2004-2006

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

click map for full-size version RRV231 is an adult female Kemp's ridley that nested on Galveston Island and was released with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 101 satellite transmitter on 28 April 2006. Please note that there is a degree of error in satellite tracking and that points appearing on land are probably inaccurate (with the exception of nesting, which may occur 2-4 times in a season, with 2-4 weeks between nests).

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Species: Kemp's Ridley
Life Stage: Adult
Gender: Female
Release Date: 2006-04-29 00:45:00
Release Location: Galveston Island Seawall
Last Location: 2006-09-22 03:40:24

Adoptive Parents:
Tyler Martel
Seay Scientists
Seay Scientists
Neil Powers
Walter

Background

RRV231 ("Smarttie") is an adult female Kemp's ridley that laid a clutch of 118 eggs along the Seawall on Galveston Island, Texas on 28 April 2006. She was identfied as a wild (non-headstarted) turtle because she lacked any flipper, PIT, coded wire, or living tags. This was the first ridley nest laid on the upper Texas coast during 2006 and one of seven laid in Texas on 28 April. The nesting event was responded to by NOAA Sea Turtle Facility staff, and RRV231 was later outfitted with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 101 satellite transmitter by the TAMUG STFERL. She was released near her nesting site the evening of 28 April 2006. An ultrasound conducted by Houston Zoo veterinary staff prior to release (28 April) indicated that RRV231 possessed developing egg follicles, suggesting that she would nest again in the next 2-4 weeks.

RRV231 has been nicknamed "Smarttie" in honor of Kathy Smartt of the Texas General Land Office, who oversaw the grant that funded TAMUG's tracking of nesting ridleys during 2005-2006.

UPDATE: Although Smarttie was not encountered nesting again during 2006, her track suggests that she nested two more times after her first nest on Galveston on 28 April.

NOTE: Unfortunately, Smarttie's satellite transmitter appears to have stopped transmitting. This may be due to a bent or broken off antenna and/or biofouling on the transmitter's saltwater switches. Be sure to check out other ridleys still being tracked by TAMUG.