BRADENTON BEACH – A loggerhead sea turtle named Krysta slipped into the Gulf at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach on Monday morning, June 29, as researchers, volunteers and onlookers gathered at the waterline to watch her go.
The 8 a.m. release was part of the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s 18th annual Tour de Turtles – a marathon “race” that actually serves as a satellite tracking program. The Tour de Turtles officially begins on Aug. 1 and it ends on Oct. 31. From now through the end of the race, Krysta’s travels will be monitored as she migrates through the Gulf, with her position updated daily, or near-daily, at tourdeturtles.org.
As is the case each year, the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization partnered with the Gainesville-based Sea Turtle Conservancy in the turtle release event sponsored for the third consecutive year by Hurricane Hanks restaurant in Holmes Beach.
After being captured earlier that morning, Krysta was fitted with a satellite transmitter. Her shell was cleaned of algae and barnacles, lightly sanded and wiped with rubbing alcohol. The transmitter was secured near the front of the shell using epoxy putty and fiberglass.
“We take great care to make this as minimally invasive as possible,” Sea Turtle Conservancy Research Biologist Daniel Evans said a few days before the release. “Everything is designed to minimize drag and resist damage, and the total weight has to stay under 5% of the turtle’s body weight.”
The transmitter’s battery life typically exceeds a year, though biofouling, antenna damage or premature detachment can shorten its lifespan. More advanced transmitters log dive profiles, water temperature and GPS coordinates, in addition to location.
The attached transmitter is designed to be temporary. As turtles grow, they naturally shed the outer layers of their shells and the transmitter eventually releases without intervention.
“This approach balances data collection with turtle safety,” Evans said. “The tag is designed to come off on its own, usually within six to 12 months, as the turtle sheds her outer scutes naturally.”
Evans said the release offers something rare for the public: “It’s a great opportunity for the public to come out and see a wild sea turtle during the day, and to find out where she’s going to go and where they spend their time when they’re not nesting here on the Island.”
Krysta was named in memory of a former Hurricane Hanks employee who died in a traffic accident last year. Her mother, Robin, still works at the restaurant and she helped open the crate Monday morning to release the turtle bearing her daughter’s name.
Hurricane Hanks owner Brian Mathae said naming a mother turtle that had just laid her eggs after Krysta “just seemed like the right connection.” Mathae paused and then added: “A mother’s love lives on.”
The Sun will provide weekly updates on Krysta’s location and travels between now and the end of the race in October.
Ernie Vanderwalt’s video of Monday’s release can be viewed here.
Related coverage: Sea turtle to be released and tracked during Tour de Turtles
