We are excited to share that ECO Grenada’s first satellite tagged Green sea turtle is tracking live! ECO was named as a thank you to all our Eco Dive friends, guests and family who have donated and contributed to our fundraising efforts over the last couple years to acquire two wildlife satellite tags. Inspired by the beautiful juvenile Green sea turtles that occasionally call Grand Anse their home, and the knowledge that the amazing Ocean Spirits has in past years received funding grants to successfully tag a few Hawksbill turtles and a few Leatherback turtles but up until last week Grenada had never tagged an endangered Green turtle, we were motivated to learn more about the young Green turtles that pass through Grenada on their foraging and growing phase. ECO is the first of two Green turtles that will be satellite tagged and tracked 🀞, so we will be out again in November to gather some more data and tag and release another endangered Green. But, for now it is time to celebrate ECO and here’s how you can stay up to date:

  • Stay tuned to our News feed here 😎 we’ll post updates as she moves around the bay or the region 😊
  • Follow us on socials, IG @Eco_Dive_Grenada and/or FB pages www.facebook.com/EcoDiveGrenada/
  • Get in touch with us, show us that you πŸ’š love sea turtles as much as we do and we’ll reply with an update Contact Us
  • Join us at Eco Dive in Grenada for a dive, snorkel or PADI course and ask our team in person for updates
  • Purchase one of our #SeaTurtleResearch UV sun shirts (all proceeds go to supporting sea turtle research projects with Ocean Spirits) and help us keep the satellite time live and tracking
  • If you spot her let us know! She’s currently cruising the nearshore seagrass environments of St George’s and has a cute blue backpack. If you see her you won’t miss it! Give her a wave and wish her luck!

Best behaviour reminders when snorkelling or diving with sea turtles:

  • Do not chase the turtles! Despite their name they are quicker than you think, but frightening them into fight or flight mode is stressful
  • Swim with as little splashing and movement as possible e.g. kick with your legs under the water, no arms
  • Stay calm and enjoy the scenery! Turtles breathe air and need to come up to the surface so give them room-to-breathe, literally, and don’t interrupt a swim to the surface
  • Do not litter. Avoid plastics and single use plastics whenever possible. Collect used kite πŸͺ line and fishing 🎣 line and dispose of it properly. Collect marine litter whenever possible to reduce the risk of ingestion or entanglement

βœ… Thank you to Kate Charles and Oceans Spirits for the sea turtle expertise and behind the scenes logistics, Dr Carter for the vet support, Benson & Tevin for the in-water mastery, Dr Marancik/SGU for running the blood pathology panel, Dr Morrall for the guidance and hands on deck, Melissa for the field data collection & of course our Eco Dive team for supporting the conservation projects always

βœ… Thank you to all who have donated, shared, participated, purchased a fundraising shirt, gifted a fundraising shirt & are about to request a fundraising shirt πŸ˜† We couldn’t have made this happen without your support!

βœ… Thank you to our sister dive shop Barbados Blue for their motivation. Barbados has full sea turtle protections and has had for years. It changes the behaviour and population dynamics and diversity of their resident endangered sea turtle species

πŸ’° If you’d like to make a donation that can be done in office at Eco Dive with Christine or Shevon, or online via WIDECAST (Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network), be sure to list Ocean Spirits Eco Dive tag as the target project DONATE HERE

Finally, thank you to our supporting suppliers Wildlife Computers (for the sat tags) & Woodshole Marine Institute (for the satellite tracking connects). This might be a paid arrangement πŸ˜‚ but it’s important work that we value and are grateful for the professional supplies and services (may it long continue).

Stay tuned and let’s wish ECO a safe and smooth journey ahead!

#SeaTurtleTracking #EndangeredSpecies #BiodiversityMatters #OpenSeason #Eco #EcoDive #PureGrenada #Grenada #GrandAnseBeach #PADIAWARE #PADI #SGU #WildlifeComputers #Torchbearer #Ambassadiver #GrenadaWildlife #ProtectGrenadaTurtles #OceansSpirits #Widecast

πŸ“πŸŒŽ Last known location of our baby ECO is Grand Anse Bay cruising offshore Grand Anse Beach where the seagrass beds are critical habitat for this endangered beauty

Last location of ECO the satellite tagged endangered Green turtle with Eco Dive & Ocean Spirits