Sharon

Israel Sea Turtle Tracking Project 2008: Loggerhead & Green Turtles

A project of Israel's Sea Turtle Rescue Center.

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Species: Green Turtle
Life Stage: Adult
Gender: Female
Release Date: 2009-06-20 00:30:00
Release Location: Park Hasharon
Last Location: 2010-06-09 02:37:10

Adoptive Parents:
Dave Spaw
Anaka Wetch
Sam Lopez
Yana
Deana Watts

Background

Sharon is an adult female green sea turtle, which we encountered at night when she came ashore to nest. The sea turtle nesting season has already began a month ago, so Sharon might have already laid a batch of eggs this season. Yet, as the nesting season is not over yet, we are excited to find out where she will go next, and where we will find her during her nesting intervals.

Sharon is named after her nesting site – HaSharon National Park, located at the center of Israel. Sea turtles are philopatric animals; meaning that they will return to nest at the same beach where they hatched. Fortunately, Sharon happens to nest at a coastal national park - a beach protected by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. In the Mediterranean sea, the green sea turtle population is critically endangered, and the number of nesting females in Israel is estimated to be around ten. Recently, a terrible show of cruelty occurred, when a citizen intentionally killed a green sea turtle that came to nest at that same beach. Now, we hope to follow Sharon nest and migrate safely.