Scientists have developed a new interactive map that enables them to track the migratory routes of aquatic animals.
According to a report on 8 May, the map can be used to trace the migratory paths of 109 species of aquatic animals, including sea turtles and whale sharks, and birds.
The map was designed by scientists from Australia and the U.S. to study how ocean habitats are connected through routes that are invisible to humans.
A lot going on in the sea
Unknown to humans, aquatic species rely on established routes under water to travel between habitats at different times of the year.
These routes support their migrations with food and other necessities to ensure they get to their destinations safely, unlike what humans imagine it to be – a vast water body with uniform, year round conditions.
Known as the Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean (MiCO) database, the map makes it easier for scientists, policymakers, and regular people to see where migratory marine species may be facing challenges so that quick measures can be taken to support them.
According to movement ecologist Lily Bentley from the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia who led the development of the database’s models, the tool connects almost 2,000 crucial habitats.
Species needing protection
The report says that all recorded species such as the green turtles that nest in Costa Rica and migrate north through Nicaragua and out to islands in the Caribbean have less protection at some point in their life history due to differences in jurisdictions.
Marine conservation scientist also from UQ, Daniel Dunn said:
“While largely protected in Costa Rica (and nesting in a protected area), it is legal to fish for turtles in Nicaragua and huge numbers are lost off the coast there every year.”
The scientists therefore call for international cooperation because no country is able to fully protect migratory species without help from others.
For now, the migration paths in MiCO are snapshots in time. However, the team hopes that eventually, information from different time periods may be used to identify changes in connectivity.
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