Tag On

WHOI biologist Kara Dodge prepares to attach a suction cup-mounted acoustic tag to a leatherback turtle recently. The tag allows a specially outfitted REMUS 100 TurtleCam autonomous underwater vehicle to follow and film the turtle in the water as it interacts with its environment and hunts for jellyfish, its favorite food. Turtles also regularly face a number of hazards, including boat traffic, fishing gear, and plastic trash. Dodge and WHOI engineer Amy Kukulya are hoping their video footage and oceanographic data will help support efforts to give turtles a fighting chance as they navigate the waters around Cape Cod and elsewhere around the world. (Photo by Sean P. Whelan, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution under NMFS Permit #15672)