Since Elon Musk bought and changed Twitter to X, we feel that the title of X Turtle doesn’t have the same connotation as the original title. As such, we choose to keep the Twitter name. This project takes inspiration from the Tweeting Tree. We are working closely with Arribada.org to deploy their cost-effective Horizon Artic GPS tags to be applied. Details of this project can be seen on the main webpage.
This is also an AI-assisted project. We will track the hatchlings' movement patterns using a night vision camera, artificial lights, and several AI tools. Currently, we are using DeepLabCut from the Matthis group and IDTrackerai.
Monitoring turtle movement is crucial for understanding their behavior, migration patterns, and habitat use. By tracking their movements, researchers can gain valuable insights into the turtles' life cycles, feeding habits, and interactions with their environment. This information is essential for developing effective conservation strategies and ensuring the long-term survival of these species. The use of advanced technologies such as GPS tracking and AI-assisted analysis allows for more precise and detailed monitoring, enhancing our ability to protect and preserve turtle populations.
This project is a collaboration with Barn Owl Research Group (BORG) of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Barn owls play a crucial role in conservation efforts as they are natural pest controllers, preying on small mammals such as rodents. This helps in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and reduces the need for chemical pest control methods, which can have harmful environmental impacts. By studying barn owls and their habits, conservationists can gain insights into the health of ecosystems and develop strategies to protect these vital birds and their habitats.
One of the issues that sea turtles face is light pollution. Excessive artificial lighting at coastal areas or their nesting beaches could disorient the new hatchlings as they swim towards the open sea. As for the returning mothers navigating back to their imprinted nesting beach, the lights could steer them away from the areas, as turtles often avoid bright, excessive lights.
Using Keograms to Monitor Light Pollution
Keograms are a powerful tool for monitoring light pollution in coastal areas, especially in relation to turtle nesting grounds. By capturing long-exposure images of the sky over a specific period of time, keograms provide a visual representation of light intensity and distribution. This allows researchers to identify sources of light pollution and assess their impact on turtle behavior. By analyzing keograms, conservationists can develop strategies to mitigate light pollution, ensuring safer environments for sea turtles during their crucial nesting and hatching periods.