Marine Biologist, Peter Richardson, who is working with the Overseas Territories’ Turtle Conservation Project, emailed The Anguillian to report that the turtle, named Malliouhana, entered Canada’s EEZ in the early hours of August 4. The turtle is expected to remain there for the rest of the summer feeding on jelly fish.

“At the moment she is just off Newfoundland,” writes Mr. Richardson. “Mike James of Dalhousie University, a leatherback expert who is attaching satellite tags to turtles in Canadian waters, tells me that she has arrived right in the middle of the Canadian jellyfish season, so there will be plenty for her to eat there.

“During her approach to Canadian continental shelf waters, she dived a few times to depths in excess of 600 m. There is fairly intensive fishing effort in the region, but through Mike James’ Nova Scotia Leatherback Turtle Group, a network of fishermen are looking out for turtles. They are aware of the dangers fishing poses, and report all their turtle sightings to Mike. Maybe one of them will spot Malliouhana.”

Mr. Richardson and fishing personnel from Tortola and Anguilla were involved on the tagging of the turtle at Captain’s Bay. A satellite tracking device was strapped on the back of the turtle to monitor its movements and to determine where such leatherbacks travel after laying on Anguilla’s beaches.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News