Long-Term Tracking of Adult Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea

Three adult-sized Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta), captured incidentally by bottom trawlers, were tracked by satellite in the Mediterranean Sea for a substantial part of their annual cycle, including the period preceding nesting. The three turtles performed long-distance movements that were variable between individuals but shared common features such as seasonal migration. Very prolonged dives (up to over 300 min) were associated with temperature drops to below 18 C, likely an overwintering strategy. Our findings integrate recent tracking data on the postnesting migrations of Mediterranean Loggerhead Turtles, documenting the movement patterns made during the poorly known nonreproductive phase.