Green sea turtle over seagrass bed. Photo Daniel Rimkus
Photo Identification
One activity of the Belize Turtle Watch Program is to document regularly sighted turtles and to use photo identification to determine their home range. Scientists use the scales on the side of turtle's heads to identify individuals that do not have obvious marks like a missing flipper or barnacles in older turtles. Please send us your photos so divers and snorkelers throughout Belize can work together to identify commonly sighted individuals!
Methodology
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Using photographs to identify sea turtles has been done throughout their range. In Hawaii scale patterns on green turtles have been used to identify individual turtles. Leatherbacks are identified by the patterns of white spots on their soft shell. Hawksbills and loggerheads can be identified by the presence of large embedded barnacles in the carapace. Some turtles can also be identified by missing flippers or pieces of the carapace edge from shark bite marks.
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When no obvious marks make it easy to identify individual turtles than patterns of color on their shell and beak can be compared. Photo collages of sea turtles are very useful for identification. For your easy reference please refer to the diagrams below for a sea turtle external anatomy used to described scutes and scales of sea turtles that are used in species identification.
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Please be sure to take and submit as many pictures as possible of turtles observed that will enable us find unique characteristics that can be used in identification. Please remember to never chase or grab turtles to take pictures. By using photo ID we aim to identify abundance and range of sea turtles that forage on our many popular dive and snorkel sites in Belize, so be sure and submit your pictures today!
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NORTHERN BELIZE BARRIER REEF - AMBERGRIS CAYE
HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES
M & M
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November 18, 2011
This hawksbill was observed off in the distance by Helene Hess on November 18, 2011 while diving off Ambergris Caye.
Photo Helene Hess 2011
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Tackle Box
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Tres Cocos
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M & M
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Mermaid's Laird
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Captain's Canyon
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M & M Canyon
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M & M Canyon
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M & M Canyon
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Caverns of Love
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Caverns of Love
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Captain's Canyon
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M & M Canyon
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Mata Canyon
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BELIZE BARRIER REEF - AMBERGRIS CAYE - GREEN SEA TURTLES
Hol Chan
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Hol Chan
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Hol Chan
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Hol Chan
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Hol Chan
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Ambergris Caye
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BELIZE BARRIER REEF - AMBERGRIS CAYE - LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES
August 5, 2010This loggerhead was observed by Helene Hess on August 5, 2010 by Ambergris Caye. This is a very old male loggerhead sea turtle with 3 barnacles on the right side if his carapace that we can use for identification. Adult male loggerheads are commonly reported in the spring time leading up to mating season, so this observation of one in August is interesting.
Photo Helene Hess 2010
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Tackle Box
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Near Hol Chan
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Sandy Point
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 Photo Helene Hess 2012
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Journey's End Canyon
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Sandy Point
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Sandy Point
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Renegate
May 24, 2012
Photo Helene Hess 2012
M&M Canyon
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BELIZE BARRIER REEF - AMBERGRIS CAYE - OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLES
Photo Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Deformed left front flipper of Olive. Photo ECOMAR
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Hol Chan
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BELIZE BARRIER REEF - CAYE CAULKER & LONG CAYE
Sand Trap
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Sand Trap
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BELIZE BARRIER REEF - ST. GEORGE'S CAYE TO GOFF'S CAYE -
HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES
J & R Wall - Sept 30, 2010
Photo Linda Searle
Profile of right side of head shows thick black coloration on her beak.
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Photo Linda Searle
Profile of front of beak and left side of head has less black coloration.
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Photo Linda Searle
Turtle has one embedded barnacle on the 3rd central scute.
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Spanish Bay Wall
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Dolphin Duo
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BELIZE BARRIER REEF - ST GEORGE'S CAYE TO GOFF'S CAYE - GREEN SEA TURTLES
No photos submitted
BELIZE BARRIER REEF - ST GEORGE'S CAYE TO GOFF'S CAYE - LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES
Bruce's Column - Feb 26, 2012Large adult male observed on Feb 26, 2012 at the drop-off east of St. George's Caye. This loggerhead was about 4 ft in length and has patches of barnacles at the anterior end of this carapace that can be used for identification.
Video by Linda Searle
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TURNEFFE ATOLL - HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES
The Elbow
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Sandy Lane
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Amberhead
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Sandy Lane
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Mini Elbow
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Mini Elbow
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Amberhead
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Black Coral Wall
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TURNEFFE ATOLL - GREEN SEA TURTLES
No photos submitted
TURNEFFE ATOLL - LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES
Rock Beauty
April 15, 2012
Photo Gordon Kirkwood 2012
This big male loggerhead was sighted by Gordon Kirkwood at Rock Beauty dive site on April 15, 2012.
LIGHTHOUSE ATOLL - HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES
Aquarium
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Blue Hole
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Sponge Bob
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Aquarium
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Painted Wall
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Aquarium
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Aquarium
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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LIGHTHOUSE ATOLL - GREEN SEA TURTLES
Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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Halfmoon Caye Wall
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BELIZE BARRIER REEF - CARRIE BOW CAYE TO RANGUANA CAYE
LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES
Hatchet Caye
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Carrie Bow Caye
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GLOVER'S ATOLL - HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES
Long Caye Wall
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Long Caye Wall
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Southwest Caye Wall
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SOUTHERN BELIZE BARRIER REEF - SAPODILLA CAYES
No Photos Yet!
Have pictures of turtles from Belize?
Please submit them today so our database on sea turtles in Belize grows even more!
Please submit them today so our database on sea turtles in Belize grows even more!
