Australian Sea Turtle Swims 35,000 km in Two Years, Nearly Circumnavigating the Globe
According to foreign media reports on February 1st, a sea turtle named Yahoo from Australia swam 22,000 miles (35,405 km) in two years in open ocean, which is equivalent to seven-eighths of the Earth's circumference (40,075 km).
The local aquarium posted on social media about the long-distance migration of this red sea turtle: ‘Yahoo swam 35,405 km in two years, which is amazing! This means it averaged 48 km per day and didn’t rest.’
The aquarium said that Yahoo’s journey ‘is absolutely a record-breaking migration.’ The turtle’s journey started on December 16, 2017, from the coast of Cape Town.
▲Yahoo’s migration route
Using modern satellite tracking technology, people can intuitively see Yahoo’s movements.
It is reported that Yahoo’s entire swim is equivalent to the length of 1.5 million 25-meter-long Olympic swimming pools, and she has unbelievably swam across the ocean, including the Ningaloo Marine Park.
‘The Ningaloo Marine Park is located outside the coast of the Table Mountain National Park, due to the biodiversity underwater, it is also a world cultural heritage. It is one of the best places in the world to watch whale sharks, with 500 species of fish, 300 species of coral, as well as dolphins and sea turtles safely swimming in the waters, and even there are humpback whales in the waters in winter.’ The aquarium stated.
The aquarium said: ‘The water temperature where Yahoo swims is very warm, at 27 degrees Celsius, and the current from the southeast is very slow, at the same time there is a south wind at a speed of about 13 km per hour.’ The aquarium explained. ‘This excellent environment is very suitable for sea turtles!’
However, we still cannot accurately predict Yahoo’s specific route, she may be getting closer and closer to the coastline, or heading to Queensland.
▲Yahoo’s story has gained the attention of many people
‘Of course, she may continue this record-breaking journey across multiple oceans, then circumnavigate the world.’ The aquarium said.”
(Xu Qiyuan)
