Gabon 2009-10: Pongara, Leatherback Turtles

Marine Turtle Research Group / Seaturtle.org

Dataset credit

Data provider
Marine Turtle Research Group
Originating data center
Satellite Tracking and Analysis Tool (STAT)
Project partner
The partnerships' work in Gabon, which includes satellite telemetry of marine turtles (leatherback and olive ridley turtles), training and capacity building in the use of fisheries vessel monitoring systems and assessing the distribution and abundance of dolphins and whales is funded by the Darwin Initiative, which is financed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the UK Government under the project Darwin Marine Biodiversity Action Plan for Gabon.

Our work in Gabon is also supported by a range of additional funders, including the Natural Environment Research Council (UK; Award NER/S/A/2004/12980), the Large Pelagics Research Center, funded through NOAA (US; Award NA04NMF4550391), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, through the Shellshock campaign, and the European Social Fund. The Gabon Turtle Partnership receives funding from the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund (US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior).

Contacts

RoleNameOrganization 
Primary contact Matthew Witt University of Exeter
Data entry Michael Coyne seaturtle.org

Citation

Abstract

Since 2005, a partnership of conservation biologists and Non-Governmental Organisations, lead by the University of Exeter & Seaturtle.org, The Gabon Turtle Partnership, Parcs Gabon and the Wildlife Conservation Society have been fitting satellite transmitters to leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting in Gabon (Atlantic Coast, Central Africa), whose beaches host the worlds largest nesting aggregation of leatherback turtles, see link.

This year's fieldwork is taking place in Pongara National Park, northwest Gabon, where the parternship has fitted 2 leatherback turtles with satellite tracking devices. The two turtles have been named Darwinia, after the projects funders (Darwin Initiative), and Noelle after the Christmas period.

Threats faced by leatherback turtles on the nesting beaches, in the coastal zone and in the open-sea are numerous; satellite tracking enables us to build an understanding of their critical habitats, with the hope to inform plans to limit negative interactions with human activities.

This years fieldwork follows the successes of last year, where females were tracked using Argos-linked GPS telemetry, see the project page. In previous nesting seasons we have attached satellite transmitters to leatherback turtles nesting in Mayumba National Park, in the southwest of Gabon.

Purpose

N/A

Supplemental information

Visit STAT's project page for additional information.

References

Attributes

Overview

This section explains attributes included in the original dataset. OBIS-SEAMAP restricts the attributes available to the public to date/time, lat/lon and species names/counts only. Should you need other attributes described here, you are encouraged to contact the data provider.

Attributes described below represent those in the original dataset provided by the provider.
Only minimum required attributes are visible and downloadable online. Other attributes may be obtained upon provider's permission.

Attributes in dataset

Attribute (table column)Description
prognumProgram number
tag_idPTT ID
lcLocation class
iqQuality indicator
dir1Dir 1
nb_mesNumber of messages received
big_nb_mesdefinition not provided
best_levelBest signal strength in dB
pass_durationPass duration in seconds
nopcNumber Of Plausibility Checks successful (from 0-4)
calcul_freqCalculated frequency
altitudeAltitude used for location calculation
sensorsSensors
speciesSpecies name
project_idSTAT Project ID
lc_filterParameters to location filtering
speed_filterParameters to speed filtering
distance_filterParameters to distance filtering
topo_filterParameters to topo filtering
time_filterParameters to time filtering
angle_filterParameters to angle filtering
life_stageLife stage of the animal
genderGender of the animal
wetdryWet or dry
wetdry_filterParameters to Wet or dry filterint
obs_datetimeDate and time (local time zone)
timezone_hTime difference from UTC
OBIS-SEAMAP ID1456
Seabirds0
Marine mammals0
Sea turtles2,103
Rays and sharks0
Other species0
Non spatial0
Non species0
Total2,103
Date, Begin2009-12-08
Date, End2010-06-29
Temporal prec.111111
Latitude-21.35 - 1.02
Longitude-22.89 - 9.38
Coord. prec.3 decimal digits
PlatformTag
Data typeTelemetry location
TracklinesYES (ID: 1457)
Traveled (km)15,542
Travel hours8,058
Contr. throughSatellite Tracking and Analysis Tool
Registered2016-12-27
Updated2024-02-29
StatusPublished
Sharing policy Permission required
Shared with SWOT
OBIS*
GBIF (via DOI)*
* Aggregated summary
See metadata in static HTML
See metadata in FGDC XML
See download history / statistics