Humpty Dumpty bounces back

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) off the coast of Georgia is one of the largest near shore rock reef habitats found off the southeast coast. As such it is an important habitat for sea turtles. The sanctuary staff monitors the movements and behavior of adult and juvenile loggerhead sea turtles off the Georgia coast by attaching small satellite transmitters to the shells of turtles captured at the reef or from the beaches of Georgia's barrier islands. Gray's Reef has tagged over six turtles and provides the satellite tracking data over the Internet for those interested in the science of endangered and threatened species.

In July 1998, GRNMS divers captured an injured juvenile loggerhead sea turtle with a cracked shell resting beneath a reef feature 70 feet underwater. The turtle nicknamed "Humpty Dumpty" was transferred to Marineland, Florida where it was rehabilitated with daily antibiotic treatments to stave off infection. If the turtle had not been captured it would most likely have succumbed to bacterial infection. Two months later the shell has healed and infection avoided.

Humpty Dumpty was released with a satellite transmitter on September 27 by Dr. Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer in Residence, back to its home at Gray's Reef. By placing a satellite tag on "Humpty Dumpty" students, scientists and the public will be able to monitor her progress and migration on the internet.

Here's a newspaper artice.