Turtles that were tagged in Bermuda nearly two decades ago have been spotted in Central America.

Three turtles tagged in the 1990s by the Bermuda Turtle Project (BTP) were found nesting on the beaches of Costa Rica and Mexico, each having the same titanium labels attached in Bermuda.

“These results demonstrate the linkage between young green turtles that grow up in Bermuda waters and Caribbean nesting beaches that are thousands of kilometres away,” said Dr Anne Meylan who, along with husband Dr Peter Meylan, serve as the project’s scientific directors.

Ms Meylan said: “They also show the long period of time it takes for green turtles to reach sexual maturity, some 30 years or more.

“Few projects have recorded migrations between the habitats that green turtles inhabit when they are immature, and their nesting beaches.

“Recaptures of this kind present a rare opportunity to test whether theoretical estimates of age-to-maturity are correct.

“We have thought for many years that Bermuda serves as an important steward for Caribbean green turtles, providing a safe and healthy environment in which they can mature.

“These recent recaptures are direct evidence of the link between developmental habitat in Bermuda and nesting beaches in the Caribbean.

“These three recapture records confirm the relevance of Bermuda to sea turtle conservation in their native countries, including Mexico and Costa Rica, where the recaptures were made.”

The first research into Bermuda’s green turtles was from Dr HC Frick, a trustee of the Caribbean Conservation Corporation in 1968. The research continues today under the BTP, a joint effort between the Sea Turtle Conservatory, the Atlantic Conservation Partnership, the Bermuda Zoological Society and the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo.

More than 3,500 have been captured, tagged and released to provide data for Bermuda’s juvenile green sea turtle population.

“It takes years of standardised research and an enormous effort by many people to acquire this kind of outstanding and exciting information,” said BTP coordinator, Jennifer Gray.

“Bermuda can and should be very proud of our renowned conservation of this endangered species and a research initiative that is known and applauded by sea turtle scientists around the globe.

“Our findings highlight the need for international cooperation to protect the species across the vast distances they travel and the many places where they develop, feed, mature and nest.

“Sea turtles know no international boundaries and, as long-lived species, are hard-wired to continue a life cycle that takes place in a number of geographical ranges throughout their lives.

“They have been on this earth for more than a million year and as a species have survived earth’s catastrophic events yet they struggle today to survive the threats posed by a species called man.

“The good news is that with more scientific data and a better understanding of their life history the world will be in a better position to conserve this wonderful species.”

Turtles tagged in Bermuda have also been seen in Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Grenada, St. Lucia and the USA.

The full report from the Marine Turtle Newsletter can be found at http://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/archives/mtn141/mtn141-6.shtml.