Turtles use a range of cues to navigate their journeys.
SCIENTISTS are closer to understanding how green sea turtles navigate hundreds of miles of ocean to nest on the beaches of Ascension Island.
Every year between December and June, thousands of turtles migrate from Brazil to the tiny south Atlantic island to mate, with the females crawling ashore to lay their eggs in the sand.
A team at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University has developed a model that simulates part of the turtles’ journey, uncovering what they rely on to make the arduous trip.
They found the species uses a range of cues to navigate during their journey, with several “weak” cues typically more successful than fewer strong ones, which
could lead them into “blind spots”, leading them off-course.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here