Sea Turtles Follow 3,000-Year-Old Routines
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Did you know that sea turtles are creatures of ancient habit? They lay eggs on the same beach where they themselves hatched and even revisit hyper-specific places to eat seagrass. According to a recent study, green sea turtles (or Chelonia mydas) in the Iron Age fed in the same Mediterranean Sea meadows as turtles do today.
The findings illuminate both ecologically critical coasts in North Africa that are currently unprotected and an innovative way for history to guide modern conservation. Climate change and rising temperatures are threatening these marine meadows’ future.
The study evidence comes from ancient dumpsites with leftover sea turtle bones and shells that humans discarded. Researchers collected sea turtle bones found at three Bronze and Iron Age sites and used the proteins to identify the turtle species.
Previous studies have found that seagrass meadow plants have unique chemical signatures that register in sea turtles' bodies. Scientists measured the bone's chemical makeup to determine how modern chemical signatures at the meadows aligned with the skeletons. This mix of ancient chemistry and modern technology help us deepen our understanding of other sea animals, including fish and whales.
Image Credit: Sakis Lazarides / Shutterstock.com
