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New
Photos
from Costa Rica
Click to see new images and information from the ISEM at
the conclusion of TurtleQuest 2001.
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Maps
ISEM's
team is working in a remarkable environment on the Atlantic coast
of Costa Rica. Clip map above for details.
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Photos
from the Field
Click the camera above for a photo journey with the team
in Costa Rica.
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Current
Research
Protostegids, like this one displayed at the Dallas Museum of Natural Hisory, are the ancient relatives to the living leatherbacks. Diana Vineyard of ISEM studies the ancient life history of sea turtles. She is investigating their morphology and bone characters to better understand the evolutionary adaptions of these remarkable marine reptiles. (ISEM file photo)
The
environment near Tortuguero ranges from sandy beaches and marshes
on the coast to rugged hills in the surrounding rainforests. Inhabitants
include the Poison-Dart Frog, like the one shown here.
(ISEM file photo)
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"...
As the surf washed over them, they began their swimming
frenzy and, one by one, flapped their way into the ocean
to begin their great circle of life. It was a true 'turtle
moment' for us..." Read
more
Field notes from ISEM team
in Costa Rica
SMU
researcher Dana Sodders with leatherback hatchlings. Read
about the team's discoveries in the Field Notes section.
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| Frequent
updates from the field are sponsored by The ISEM at SMU. |
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Field
Notes
 May
13 :
The cacophony of unfamiliar sounds was layered on a slow current
of quiet, on our own breathing as we drifted on the swamp-black
and glassy-smooth water, slipping in and out of reaching branches.
It ended all too soon... More!
May
12 :
The cat had drug it only about a meter or so into the brush, so
it really wasn't too bad crawling into the forest. This turtle
was just too big to drag out to the beach, as we were able to
do last year. So we had to ward off the buzzards and
really work fast ... More!
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Cloud temperatures:
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| Cold |
Coldest
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| This
satellite image is continuously updated, showing current weather
conditions and the land and water areas of Central America.
This satellite image provided courtesy of The Weather Channel. |
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 Test
your knowledge with our daily turtle quiz! Take
the quiz!
These quizes require a Javascript-enabled browser, and are not compatible
with Netscape 6 or with any version 3.x browsers.
 During
their stay in Costa Rica, the team will be sending email responses back
to classrooms across the United States and around the world.
Would
you like to ask a question? Email your question to
turtle@mail.smu.edu
Bones
from stranded turtles were collected from the beaches of Tortuguero
and Ostional and were sent to SMU for chemical analysis. (ISEM photo)
Use
these exercises and information in your class, and work along with the
research team from ISEM! Learn more...
 Check
out the archived reports from the ISEM team's research last year.
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