The Journey of Adelita

The journey of Adelita the sea turtle is the true story of a resilient loggerhead sea turtle, wearing a state-of-the-art satellite transmitter, who made her way from Baja California, Mexico to the shores of her birthplace in Japan, some 6,000 miles and 368 days across the Pacific ocean. This is a heart-warming story of an endangered species that speaks to the human condition about the struggle for survival and freedom.

Caught by a fisherman in the Gulf of California, Mexico, she was raised in captivity. Nobody knew her age, maybe a few years old based on her size (about as big as a large plate). Mexican researchers eventually got hold of her and decided to put her in captivity, becoming involved in genetic studies. People were still-hunting and eating turtles in the area.

Eventually Adelita met Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, then a graduate student studying turtles in Baja California Sur (now a PhD and co-founder of SEE Turtles). J. and his colleagues wanted to know where the loggerheads came from; some nest along the nearby Mexican Pacific coast and others as far away as Japan. With the turtle quickly outgrowing its tank, the researchers decided to release her back to the ocean. Satellite tagging, following an animal’s movements with transmitters, was a new tool in studying wildlife. Nichols was given a recycled transmitter and a fisherman helped to figure out how to attach it to her shell (see photo at right).

With no idea if the transmitter would work or where she would go, the team put Adelita into the water on August 10, 1996. Having spent most of her life in small tanks, at first she didn’t realize she was free and swam around the outside of the tank. Then she figured it out and disappeared into the Pacific.

For almost exactly a year, the young loggerhead made its way west, past Hawaii, eventually reaching the coast of Japan (see map at right). Her journey measured 9,000 miles, crossing a barren area of ocean that scientists previously believed was a barrier to migration. The first creature tracked across an entire ocean, Adelita’s story ended in mystery. The transmitter stopped sending signals off the coast of Japan, in an area frequented by fishing boats.

Despite the mystery, Adelita’s Journey had a far reaching impact, changing perceptions about turtle migration, how different countries are linked by wildlife, and capturing the imagination of thousands. At one point during the trip, as many as 50 students would contact the researchers per day, representatives of thousands of children watching one of the internet’s first live reality shows. Now fishermen from Baja, Hawaii, and Japan collaborate on ways to protect turtles while fishing (see photo at right). Many schools in the US, Mexico, and Japan have integrated conservation studies and programs, including the satellite tracking of sea turtles and their incredible travels across and around the Pacific Ocean. They are able to log on to seaturtle.org and follow the progress of these wondrous prehistoric creatures.

Adelita the Loggerhead migration with Google Ocean from Wallace J. Nichols on Vimeo.

Resources and Media Coverage

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