In August 2006, the Nevis Turtle Group, the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), and the Four Seasons Resort Nevis began an inaugural sea turtle research and conservation project to study the migration patterns of “critically endangered” hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting along the Caribbean coast of Nevis in the West Indies. The study will reveal important information about the turtle’s migratory behavior, which will help both conservationists and natural resource managers to improve protection efforts for this endangered species. To date, six hawksbills have been tracked since the start of the program.
The satellite transmitter attached to each hawksbill sends signals to orbiting satellites each time the turtles surface to breath. The data will be collected and downloaded to STC researchers. Educational migration maps will show the best location points of the turtle’s movements and locations. This will allow interested persons all over the world to watch along as researchers discover where the hawksbill sea turtles travel after nesting. Through STC’s Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program, the public is invited to watch along on the Internet as we learn more about these amazing animals.
Click on the turtle’s name to see a map of its movements.
(Maps are hosted on the Sea Turtle Conservancy website)
| 2019 Turtles |
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PATCHES – Patches is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 21, 2019 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on the beach at Cade’s Bay Beach, Nevis. She measured 85.7 cm curved carapace (shell) length and 81.4 cm curved carapace width. Patches was named by her sponsored, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
SPONGIE – Spongie is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 20, 2019 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on the beach at Cade’s Bay Beach, Nevis. She measured 82.2 cm curved carapace (shell) length and 80.2 cm curved carapace width. Spongie was named by her sponsor, the Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
2018 Turtles |
COLADA – Colada is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 15, 2018 with a satellite transmitter. She was encountered nesting on July 14 on Cades Bay Beach, Nevis. She measured 82.7 cm curved carapace (shell) length and 77.9 cm curved carapace width. Colada was named by her sponsor, The Naked Turtle Rum. |
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KALI – Kali is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 16, 2018 with a satellite transmitter. Kali is short for “Kalinago” which was an indigenous group of people in the Lesser Antilles. She was encountered nesting on July 15 on Lover’s Beach, Nevis. She measured 85.0 cm curved carapace (shell) length and 79.0 vc curved carapace width. Kali was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
2017 Turtles |
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MOJITO – Mojito (aka Moji) is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 16, 2017with a satellite transmitter. She was encountered at 11:45 pm on July 16 on Lovers Beach, Nevis. She measured 75.8 cm curved carapace (shell) length and 72.3 cm curved carapace width. Mojito was named by her sponsor, The Naked Turtle Rum. |
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TILLY – Tilly is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 17, 2017with a satellite transmitter. She was encountered at 10:35 pm on July 16 on Lovers Beach, Nevis. She measured 86.2 cm curved carapace (shell) length and 76.4 cm curved carapace width. Tilly was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis |
2016 Turtles |
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SUNDROP – Sundrop is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 18, 2016 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on the beach at Lovers Beach, Nevis. She measured 77.3 cm curved carapace (shell) length. Sundrop was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
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SYLVIA – Sylvia is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 18, 2016 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on the beach at Lovers Beach, Nevis. She measured 86.8 cm curved carapace (shell) length. Sylvia was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
2015 Turtles |
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LUNA – Luna is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 12, 2015 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on the beach at Jones Bay, Nevis. She measure 78.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. This was Luna’s third nest of the season, she had previously nested two times on Lover’s Beach, Nevis. She was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
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MILLIE – Millie is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 13, 2015 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on the beach at Oualie Beach, Nevis. She measure 95.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and is one of the largest hawksbills nesting in Nevis. She was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
2014 Turtles |
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COCO – Coco is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 20, 2014 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on the beach at Jones Bay, Nevis. She measure 88.9 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. She was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
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SUGAR – Sugar is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 22, 2014 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on Lover’s Beach, Nevis. She measured 82.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 76.5 cm curved carapace width. Sugar was first encountered nesting by the Nevis Turtle Group in 2007. She was named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
2013 Turtles |
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BANJO – Banjo is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 22, 2013 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on Lover’s Beach, Nevis. She measure 76.3 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. Named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
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CARIBELLE – Caribelle is an adult hawksbill sea turtle released on July 21, 2013 with a satellite transmitter after nesting on Lover’s Beach, Nevis. She measure 80.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. Named by her sponsor, Four Seasons Resort Nevis. |
2012 Turtles |
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PINNEY – Pinney is an adult hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered nesting on Cabes Bay Beach, Nevis, on July 22, 2012. She measured 76.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite tag was applied after she nested. |
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NEVE – Neve is an adult green sea turtle that was encountered nesting on Lover’s Beach, Nevis, on July 23, 2012. She measured 107.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length. A satellite tag was applied after she nested |
2011 Turtles |
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CORAL – Coral is an adult hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered nesting on Lover’s Beach, Nevis, on August 3, 2011. A satellite tag was applied after she nested. |
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PARADISE – Paradise is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle encountered nesting on Cotton Ground Beach, Nevis on August 4, 2011. A satellite tag was applied after she nested. |
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JEWEL – Jewel is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle encountered nesting on Cade’s Bay Beach, Nevis on August 5, 2011. She measured 76.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 79.0 cm in curved carapace width. Jewel measured wider than longer becasue she was missing the very end of her carapace. A satellite tag was applied after she nested |
2008 Turtles |
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HIBISCUS – Hibiscus is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered on July 21, 2008, on Jones Bay, a secluded stretch of beach on the western coast of the island of Nevis. She measured 84.0 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 79 cm in curved carapace width. A satellite tag was applied after she nested. |
SUNSHINE – Sunshine is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered on July 22, 2008, on Lover’s Beach, a secluded stretch of beach on the northern coast of the island of Nevis. She measured 83.9 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 77.6 cm in curved carapace width. A satellite tag was applied after she false crawled. |
2007 Turtles |
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CALYPSO – Calypso is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered on July 29, 2007 on Lovers Beach, a secluded stretch of beach on the Caribbean coast of the island of Nevis. While she is shorter in shell lenght, Calypso was much wider than Ginger measuring 90.2 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 82.8 cm in curved carapace width. A satellite tag was applied after she false crawled. |
GINGER – Ginger is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered on July 28, 2007 on Jones Bay, a secluded stretch of beach on the Caribbean coast of the island of Nevis. She measured 91.4 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 79.4 cm in curved carapace width. A satellite tag was applied after she false crawled. |
2006 Turtles |
MANGO – Mango, the larger of the two turtles, is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered nesting on August 6, 2006 on Lover’s Beach, a secluded stretch of beach on the Caribbean coast of the island of Nevis. She measured 95.9 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 88.3 cm in curved carapace width. A satellite tag was applied after she finished laying her nest. |
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NEVIS – Nevis is an adult female hawksbill sea turtle that was encountered nesting on August 6, 2006 on Jones Bay on the Caribbean coast of the island of Nevis. She measured 92.4 cm in curved carapace (shell) length and 81.0 cm in curved carapace width. A satellite tag was applied after she finished laying her nest. |