Goose, as you all know, is a green sea turtle we released last year with a satellite tag. Last Thursday marked the one year anniversary of that turtle's release and the tag is still transmitting! We thought we would revisit some fond memories and look back over the year in maps with some Google Earth videos (below) and photos of that turtle's time with our team.
Of course we have to revisit when Goose showed up at the New England Aquarium. It was a cold day, November 20, 2008. Dr. Innis first mentioned Goose in this post. The photo below reminds us that the turtle was not doing well and needed help breathing as it was tubed and getting breaths via the ambu bag. Also that large barnacle on the top part of the shell gave the name to our green turtle. It's a gooseneck barnacle (as Kerry explained in this post).
Below is a photo of goose prior to release. We take a series of photos called exit photos whenever a turtle is leaving the Aquarium, whether it is for a transport to another facility or, as in the case with this photo, if they are going to be released.
Below you can see us working on getting the satellite tag affixed to the turtle. This tag was applied in the Aquarium's medical center. We also tagged our turtle Navajo this year in the medical center as well. Check out this post for more about the turtles we tagged this year. Learn more about tagging Goose here.
Then down to the beach and off to the ocean! (There are more release photos here and here.)
Now on to the satellite tracking maps!
Above is a great map from Brooke. You can see the route Goose took as he has been on an amazing journey over the past year. We used the tracking data to make some videos of Goose's journey using Google Earth.
The first video shows Goose heading off the beach and around the Elizabethan Islands than over to Rhode Island.
Goose spent quite a while in Long Island Sound. Over two months. It got us a little worried as the sound also can have large amounts of cold-stunned turtles on any given year. Although the Riverhead folks are awesome responders, we really did not want Goose to visit them.
Good Luck Goose!
This was also the first turtle to enjoy the lettuce forest enrichment that the greens really seem to love to munch on and in!
Below is a photo of goose prior to release. We take a series of photos called exit photos whenever a turtle is leaving the Aquarium, whether it is for a transport to another facility or, as in the case with this photo, if they are going to be released.
Below you can see us working on getting the satellite tag affixed to the turtle. This tag was applied in the Aquarium's medical center. We also tagged our turtle Navajo this year in the medical center as well. Check out this post for more about the turtles we tagged this year. Learn more about tagging Goose here.
Then down to the beach and off to the ocean! (There are more release photos here and here.)
Now on to the satellite tracking maps!
Above is a great map from Brooke. You can see the route Goose took as he has been on an amazing journey over the past year. We used the tracking data to make some videos of Goose's journey using Google Earth.
The first video shows Goose heading off the beach and around the Elizabethan Islands than over to Rhode Island.
Goose spent quite a while in Long Island Sound. Over two months. It got us a little worried as the sound also can have large amounts of cold-stunned turtles on any given year. Although the Riverhead folks are awesome responders, we really did not want Goose to visit them.
The video is definitely interesting to watch as the animal uses a lot of it.
Note the maps were created by me using Google Earth. So please forgive them as they are not nearly as nice as Kerry or Brooke's.
Each turtle is a point we received from the tags.
Each turtle is a point we received from the tags.
Below is the track Goose took heading out past the Atlantic Trench and out past the New England Sea Mounts.
This video shows the interesting bathymetry of these areas.
So where is Goose now? Below is the final section of points thus far. It includes the anniversary point inside of Newfoundland.
This video shows the interesting bathymetry of these areas.
So where is Goose now? Below is the final section of points thus far. It includes the anniversary point inside of Newfoundland.
-Adam
Wow! Goose has been on quite an adventure in the past year. So wonderful to see evidence that he's doing well.
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh, Goose must have heard about the wonderful strawberries on the north fork of Long Island, and the wonderful bakeries and delis to be found in Manhattan!!!
ReplyDeleteFantastic videos. Congratulations, folks and best wishes to Goose!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I hope he makes it back to warmer waters soon.
ReplyDelete