Migration Paths of the Adult Female and Male Loggerhead Turtles Caretta caretta Determined through Satellite Telemetry

Abstract

Migration paths of the loggerhead turtles were determined through satellite telemetry. The post nesting females returned to the East China Sea, southwestern side of Japan. As these paths were bounded on the northeastern flowing Kuroshio, two different paths were found; F-1 migrated southern off side of the Kuroshio and F-2 migrated along the northern side lying between the Kuroshio and Japan Islands. The adult male was released on January 10, 1996, from Kushimoto, southern tip of the Ku peninsula. It returned again in nesting season near the Ku peninsula and stayed until August. The migration path and time were referred to the sunrise and sundown hour to determine the sun compass orientation.