IMMS Sea Turtle Satellite Tracking

In late November, IMMS returned six endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtles to their home in the Mississippi Sound. These sea turtles were all rescued during the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and rehabilitated at IMMS's Center for Marine Education and Research. It is believed that the sea turtles came to the Mississippi Sound to avoid the oil in the Gulf. Before being released, the sea turtles were equipped with satellite tracking devices that will allow IMMS researchers to better understand the movement migration patterns of the species. Little is known about Kemp's Ridley sea turtles in Mississippi. The satellite tags will allow us to learn valuable information about the movement migration patterns of this endangered species. Artist and friend, Marlin Miller, was there at assist with the Nov 20th release and Senator Thad Cochran (MS-R) participated in the Nov 23rd release.

Skipper is a juvenile Kemp's Ridley sea turtle who was caught on a fisherman's hook on a pier in Waveland MS on August 8, 2010. Skipper recovered and received expert care while at IMMS. The turtle was released just south of Ship Island MS on November 23, 2010.

Squirt is a juvenile Kemp's Ridley sea turtle who was also caught on a hook at a pier in Waveland MS. Squirt was taken to IMMS on September 19, 2010 and was released just south of Ship Island MS on November 23, 2010.

Scuter is a juvenile Kemp's Ridley sea turtle who was caught by a fisherman at Waveland pier on September 1, 2010. The sea turtle was taken to IMMS, made a full recovery and was released on November 23, 2010 just south of Ship Island MS.

Fun Fact: The name Scuter (pronounced Scooter) is not misspelled. The individual sections that make up a turtle’s shell are called scutes (pronounced scootes).

Crush is a juvenile Kemp's Ridley sea turtle who was originally rescued on August 21, 2010. Crush had swallowed a fisherman's hook off of a pier in Waveland, MS. IMMS vet Dr. Connie Chevis had to perform surgery to remove the hook. Crush recovered fully and was released on November 20, 2010 just south of Ship Island MS.

Marlin is a sub-adult Kemp's Ridley sea turtle who was found on September 11, 2010 in distress near Petit Bois Island MS. The sea turtle was sick but after receiving weeks of expert care, Marlin had recovered and was released into the wild on November 20, 2010 just south of Ship Island MS. Marlin was named in honor of Marlin Miller, the famous Katrina tree sculptor whose carvings can be found along Hwy 90. Marlin Miller was on site to return sea turtle Marlin back into the wild.

Terry is a spunky, juvenile sea turtle who was rescued on September 9, 2010 in Waveland MS. Terry had been caught on a fisherman's hook while trying to grab an easy meal. The turtle was brought to IMMS where the hook was removed and he was treated for other medical conditions. After making a full recovery, Terry was released on November 20, 2010 just south of Ship Island MS.