Geographic data collected in the tags showed that the leatherbacks traveled a very specific path out to a large area of the Pacific called the South Pacific Gyre. Scientists arent sure why they travel to this ocean desert, but it may be to feed on jellyfish.The information can be used for practical purposes. Leatherbacks have been around Replica Breitling A2232212-B Navitimer Cosmonaute Men's Watch for roughly 100 million years, but in the last 20 their populations have declined by 90 percent. Predation on beaches, egg hunting, coastal development, entanglement and ingestion of trash in the oceans, and fishing bycatch have hit their populations hard.
By understanding exactly when and where they travel, governments may be able to bond together and limit fishing on the highways they migrate over. Given that the turtles seem to move in a predictable way from thenesting beach through the equatorial region from roughly Februarythrough April, we could potentially suspend Replica Breitling B4935053-B7-478 Windrider Cockpit Men's Watches fishing in certain areaswhile the leatherbacks are passing through that part of the easternPacific, said George Shillinger of Stanford Universitys Hopkins Marine Station in a press release. Such a geographically precise suspension of fishing would help fishermen avoid bycatch, and improve the likelihood that sea turtle mothers could make it back to their nesting beaches to lay more eggs. --Joe Spring
The riders take a well-earned break today, with Australian Cadel Evans sitting on a one-second lead over Frank Schleck. Teams will take short, easy spins of 3-4 hours and massages of 3-4 hours just to stay loose. See a gallery of rest day activity here, including --dont ask-- Le Burrito.Further rest day wrap-ups here and here, and from Bobby Julich.Some Replica Breitling A3534012-C5-4 Navitimer Heritage Men's Watch voices: Rider diaries from Charlottesville, Virgina, native Will Frischkorn and Aussie veteran Stuart OGrady. Tough talk from Lance Armstrongs former team director, Johan Bruyneel, notably absent from this years Tour, due to a non-invitation for his Team Astana.
