The underwater travels of the leatherback turtle, the world's largest reptile, have always mystified scientists. But with the aid of radio transmitters tied to the turtle's shell with a string, scientists have discovered that these 1-tonne creatures migrate along deep-sea highways, following the contours of underwater mountain ranges and continental slopes. Like birds that follow mountain tops, these turtles seem to be guided by the folds of the Earth's crust.
For conservationists, knowing the routes along which the endangered turtles migrate is essential if they are to be protected. Preserving the tropical beaches where they nest will be futile if they swim off into fishing nets or are hunted for food as they pass through narrow migration corridors, says James Spitola, an ecologist at Drexell University in Philadelphia.
Female leatherbacks lay their eggs on tropical beaches, then head straight out to sea, roaming as far north as the Arctic. But ...
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