1º Satellite Telemetry Program (2000/2001)
Considered a success, the first experience with satellite tracking increased the know-how of TAMAR Project on the migratory habits of the turtles. The Bases of Almofala/CE and Comboios/ES carried out that the satellite tracking works in 2000/2001.
In Ceará, the research studied the migratory routes in the Brazilian Islands - Ascension direction to find out if the Green Turtle populations (Chelonia mydas) that nest in the island look for feed in the Brazilian coast.
In this state the work was done with the technical cooperation of the University of Wales School of Biological Sciences, which donated seven transmitters for the research.
In Espírito Santo, TAMAR studied the locomotions of Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) with the participation of the Smithsonian Institute from the United States, which has cooperated with TAMAR since 1994. Researchers, technicians, fishermen and trainees of TAMAR had mobilized in an operation involving 100 km of coast between Regência and Povoação to tag the females nesting in the 2000/2001 season, since the objective was to discover their destinations after the reproductive stage.
Eight satellite tags were acquired from Sirtrack Limited with resources of the National Geografic Society from the ZNF-Zoologic National Friends. The animals were monitored during 2001 through the signals sent daily by the Argos system. With the cooperation of the USGS Alaska Biological Science Center, the maps with the routes were developed.
As concrete results, the first analysis of the maps had indicated that the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) from Ceará remained on the coast of Ceará State without great migrations. The Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) migrated to several directions, for reasons that are still being studied.