With its big flippers, flexible shell, and insulating layer of blubber, the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) seems well suited for life in the ocean. Yet we know almost nothing about how these rare reptiles swim around in the wild. How fast do they go, and how far can they swim in a day?By tracking seven female leatherbacks with radio transmitters and velocity recorders, Scott Eckert, of the Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, has discovered that contrary to popular belief, momma turtles are outstanding endurance swimmers that travel over great distances with hardly any rest(p. 3689)!
Keeping up with sea turtles can be gruelling, Eckert admits. By day, he's out on the water searching for leatherbacks and monitoring their movements. By night, he's trudging up and down the beaches of St. Croix (US Virgin Islands)looking for nesting females. When he finds one, he puts a simple harness on...
