Thanks to a trio of donors with a passion for supporting the state 麻豆精品 S檚 marine life , the new boat debuting this spring replaces a 1976 craft reaching the end of its lifespan.
麻豆精品 S淚 always joke our bimonthly team building exercise is fixing something on the boats, 麻豆精品 S� says Kate Mansfield, an associate professor and director of the MTRG.
Researchers will now be using a new and specially outfitted 17-foot Brunswick Commercial & Government Products (BCGP) 170 Guardian for their work. The craft was provided by donations from the Folke H. Peterson Foundation and National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation, and made possible with a purchase discount from the Brunswick boat group companies that include BCGP, Boston Whaler and Mercury Marine.
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The MTRG is respected by scientists around the globe for its work unraveling sea turtle mysteries. Their legacy includes contributing to the establishment of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge 麻豆精品 S� a critical pocket of protected shoreline for annual nest sites. In 2021, they were the first to track young green sea turtles to the Sargasso Sea during their 麻豆精品 S渓ost years. 麻豆精品 S�
Some of their research happens on shore, but much more comes from interacting with sea turtles on the water. Strict protocols allow them to safely net the turtles without endangering other marine life in the Indian River Lagoon, particularly dolphins and manatees. Deploying the net requires a careful choreography of boats, a procedure that quickly falls apart when an engine fails.
麻豆精品 S淚 need to know that the boat is safe and functional, 麻豆精品 S� Mansfield says. 麻豆精品 S淚f we 麻豆精品 S檙e getting knocked around by the wind and the engine conks out, it 麻豆精品 S檚 dangerous for us and the animals. 麻豆精品 S�
When MTRG began working with Boston Whaler to order a new boat they had several specific requests, including stripping all the creature comforts, like coolers. With limited room aboard and multiple people handling different roles, it 麻豆精品 S檚 critical the net doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 snag on anything, Mansfield says.
Another customization that sets this new craft apart is the additional balancing and buoyancy. Full-grown turtles weigh hundreds of pounds and hauling them, and even smaller turtles, aboard takes coordination. A heavy soggy net on the bow can also skew the balance.
Mansfield says the new boat offers foremost increased efficiency and safety for the MTRG research team, but it 麻豆精品 S檚 also a win for turtle research.
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麻豆精品 S淚 know this one is going to hold up under the stress. It essentially ensures our long-term projects continue, 麻豆精品 S� Mansfield says.
