Sea turtle photo-ID
What is it?
Individual sea turtles are easily identifiable thanks to their unique markings. The polygonal scales at the sides and top of their heads, as well as the scales in their flippers are unique to every individual exactly like the human fingerprints. Interestingly, also the left and right profiles differ at a given individual. In order for us to identify the turtle you saw, we need to have a relatively clear shot of the sides of its head. Even though good photo quality is important, in some cases we might be able to identify turtles in very low quality photos, so do not be discouraged to send us what you have anyway!
How do we use photo-ID?
We have been using photo-ID to perform a variety of studies of the Zakynthos sea turtles. For example using photo-ID we can recognise turtles from photos that were taken years apart and we can study for how long these turtles visit Zakynthos island. We can also study in great detail their behaviour (foraging, cleaning, antagonistic interactions). Also, based on how often individual turtles appear on social media, we can estimate the amount of tourist pressure that they are subject to.
