The ORF sea turtle tagging team, left to right:
Elyzabeth "Ely" Cuevas de Barrios,
Alberto "Betillo" Barrios Huerta,
Graciela Turbicio Pintos,
Rafael "Rafa" Bravo Gamboa,
Alberto "Beto" Macegoza Castellanos.
Project biologist and photographer Michelle Kinzel is not in this picture.

The turtle has been captured and enclosed in a wooden pen to restrict her movements while the radio transmitter is installed. Graciela Tiburcio is cleaning the carapace (upper shell) while Alberto Castellanos and Alberto Barrios observe. The carapace is brushed clean and then wiped using a mild solvent or clean water.

A special quick-curing two-part silicone elastomer has been prepared and generously applied to the bottom of the transmitter by Alberto Castellanos. The radio is then placed on the turtle's carapace by Rafael Bravo and pressed in place to seat the radio by Alberto Barrios. The silicone elastomer is used to provide a cushion bed for the radio and to compensate for the unevenness of the shell.

After the radio has been seated in the silicone elastomer, Rafael Bravo uses a wood "tongue depressor" to spread the elastomer around the edges of the transmitter. Once the elastomer has cured, the excess material will be trimmed off.

Rafael Bravo and Alberto Castellanos prepared the two-part polyester resin (surfboard resin). The transmitter is adhered to the turtle's carapace using layers of polyester resin and fiberglass cloth tape. Graciela Tiburcio brushes on the resin over a layer of fiberglass tape with the assistance of Rafael Bravo.

As the fiberglass tape is white, the finish coat of resin has been colored to match the turtle's carapace as closely as possible. Graciela Tiburcio is brushing on the final gel coat of colored resin. Note that the radio has two screws on the top of the housing on either side of the antenna. These screws are electronic saltwater switch. The screws are protected while applying the resin using duct tape or masking tape. After the resin has hardened, the screws will be thoroughly cleaned.

Before the turtle is released, Alberto Macegoza places a monel flipper tag.The first coat of fiberglass tape can be seen in the lower left-hand corner of this photo.

Our turtle has been captured, the transmitter successfully installed, and Zyanya has made her way down the beach to the water's edge and returned to the sea. Now we patiently wait for satellite data from Service ARGOS.

View Zyanya's progress!