Vanuatu Satellite Tagging Project- 2020

2/3/2020
From: Laura Jim, Associate Director, STRP

I wanted to take a moment and share a little info on HPA’s Sea Turtle Research Program’s work on conservation of sea turtles in the South Pacific earlier this month and the travels of our students!

On January 4th, 2020 3 students, Ali Wawner, Bayla Jefferson, and Ami Ibaramoto joined Marc Rice and I for our third research expedition to the Republic of Vanuatu.  As part of a three year we, working alongside Francis Hickey, Coordinator, Traditional Resource Management Program at Vanuatu Cultural Centre and Tassiriki villagers, placed satellite tags on three post-nesting hawksbill turtle on Moso Island in order to foster a better understanding of the location of their forage grounds and regional connectivity.  Our last four tagged turtles went to both New Caledonia and Australia. Where will these three go? If interested, you can follow their travels in the following blog.

In addition to deploying the satellite tags, we volunteered at the turtle hatchery at Moso Island’s Tranquility Resort tagging and collecting tissue samples for genetic analysis. Of course, there was some down time where we were able to explore the reefs of Moso and Lelepa Islands! 

Our students represented HPA and their families so well and I am so proud to say that all three of these students are products of our Village!. The three were extremely hard working, even in challenging conditions, were very respectful of all those we worked and interacted with, and were true scientists and marine biologists exploring the natural realm. They really seemed to appreciated their time with our village hosts. "I believe that meeting/spending time with local people from the island made the experience extra special. Because we were able to do so, we were able to better connect with their culture and learn.” reflected one student. In addition, all of the students really enjoyed exploring the reef system of Moso Island. "My greatest learning experience was learning about all of the different types of corals and different sea creatures that we don't see in Hawaii.” 

With great appreciation for our amazing students and our great school!  Laura

The HPA/NOAA/VANUATU team at the time of departure from Tranquility Resort, Moso Island.

Ali, Bayla and Ami (Marama in the background) at one of the tanks with baby hatchling Hawksbills.

The team with our large female hawksbill turtle with the satellite tag attached... we were waiting for the fiberglass and resin to harden sufficiently so we could release her.

Snorkeling on the beautiful coral reef of Moso Island.

Hiking across Moso Island to visit "Freds" beach.

One of two scuba dives we made.

Louis (caretaker of turtles) holds a juvenile hawksbill turtle while Ali prepares a flipper for a tissue sample for DNA analysis.

In the midst of tagging our first turtle.  The purple light is UV that helps to harden the polyester resin holding the tag in place.

The team off shore from Tassiriki Village after we visited to share the results of our work.