Understanding turtle migrations through satellite tags
Since 2006, sustained effort has gone into better understanding the movements and behaviour of sea turtles in French Polynesia through satellite tracking. In 2024, Te mana o te moana was commissioned by DIREN (the Environment Department) to produce a full synthesis of the satellite tracking carried out across the territory.
The aim of the study: to centralise, harmonise and analyse the data collected over nearly 20 years on satellite-tagged sea turtles, in order to identify their migration routes, their behaviour at sea and how they interact with the oceanographic structures of the Pacific.
A first-of-its-kind analysis of 41 tagged turtles
The project was made possible by the collaboration of DIREN and NOAA, who made their valuable data available. In total, 41 tagged animals — adults and juveniles — were studied. These analyses shed new light on the migratory strategies of sea turtles in French Polynesia.
Key findings
Adult green turtles nesting at Tetiaroa undertake a striking trans-Pacific migration, heading east to west towards the Fiji islands, their main feeding grounds.
Juvenile turtles, by contrast, stay close to the shores of the islands and atolls, where they continue to grow and develop until they reach sexual maturity.
A scientific tool in the service of conservation
Satellite tracking is an essential tool for strengthening sea turtle protection in French Polynesia. It makes it possible to target the critical areas that need preserving, identify potential threats, and adapt conservation strategies at the scale of the Pacific.