March 14, 2024


3/14/2024

Current trajectories of our 4 post-nesting hawksbill turtles as of 3/14/2024.  Makala (2023) and Vatu Mau (2024) seem to be in their home forage grounds while Vonu e Rao and Bule Lapa are still migrating.  Our guess is that Vonu e Rao and Bule Lapa are headed for the Great Barrier Reef where Makala currently resides.

2/16/2024

Current trajectories of our 4 post-nesting hawksbill turtles as of 2/16/2024.  Makala (2023) and Vatu Mau (2024) seem to be in their home forage grounds while Vonu e Rao and Bule Lapa are still migrating.  Our guess is that Vonu e Rao and Bule Lapa are headed for the Great Barrier Reef where Makala currently resides.



2/13/2024

All three hawksbills have left the nesting beaches of Moso Island.  Below is a video of their trajectories since they left. Vatu Mau appears to have reached its home range on the southern reefs of New Caledonia, Vonu e Rao apprears to be headed across the Coral Sea with a likely destination of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia while Bule Lapa is just starting her journey and is headed for the northern end of New Caledonia... don't know if she will continue on to Australia or stop in New Caledonia.


Tracks of Vatu Mau, Vonu e Rao and Bule Lapa as of 2/13/2024.

2/2/2024

Vatu Mau and Vonu o Rao are in the vacinity of New Caledonia as of 2/2/24.  I believe that Vatu Mau will be settling somewhere in New Caledonia while I have a feeling that Vonu o Rao will transit the north end of New Caledonia and continue on towards Australia... just a feeling.

Bule Lapa is still off of the nesting beaches so will probably nest again.





1/29/24 

Two of our three sat tagged turtles are on their way home.  Vatu Mau is on the south east shore of New Caledonia and we suspect that she is headed for the southwest reef lagoon where several of our other hawksbills have ended up.  Vonu e Rao is halfway between Moso Island and New Caledonia but its path is more northerly and it may be headed for Australia... time will tell! Buli Lapa is still in the waters just off the nesting beaches.  

Below are some rough images of the detections for Vatu Mau, Bule Lapa and Vonu e Rao.






1/22/24

We have give two of our three hawksbills names now.  Number 33 is named Bule Lava, Number 32 is named Vatu Mau and we are still looking for a name for #87.  Should be coming along soon.

In the meantime, HERE is a video of their travels up through 1/21/24.


First video of turtles 32, 33 and 87 movement since they were tagged.



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