Science AMA Series: I’m NOAA Fisheries scientist Peter Dutton. I use genetics and satellite telemetry to study the life history, movements and habitat of sea turtles to understand the biology and status of these endangered species and better conserve them. Celebrate #SeaTurtleWeek with NOAA!

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Hello Reddit! Happy World Sea Turtle Day! I’m Peter Dutton (Program Leader - Marine Turtle Genetics Program, NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center). I head the Marine Turtle Genetics Program and have been involved in sea turtle conservation for over 30 years. My research interests include the evolution, phylogeography, ecology and conservation biology of marine turtles.

Sea turtles inhabit tropical, subtropical, and temperate ocean waters throughout the world and often migrate long distances between feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Sea turtles spend the majority of their lives in the marine environment, making them difficult to study. But, each one belongs to a specific nesting population. While at their feeding areas and during migrations, sea turtles generally mix with turtles from several nesting populations. These different nesting populations, or assemblages, cannot be identified by sight. To understand which turtles belong to which nesting populations, and to properly assess threats from fishery bycatch and other anthropogenic dangers, we need to assess the genetic signatures of the different breeding populations and determine each turtles’ genetic “fingerprint” to identify their origin.

Six of seven sea turtle species are found in U.S. waters and all are listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), so this information is especially vital for guiding conservation efforts. By better understanding sea turtle genetics, we are able to better monitor and protect these species.

I’ll be back at 1 pm EST (10 am PST, 6 pm UTC) to answer your questions, Celebrate #SeaTurtleWeek with NOAA Fisheries - Ask Me Anything!

">Science AMA Series: I’m NOAA Fisheries scientist Peter Dutton. I use genetics and satellite telemetry to study the life history, movements and habitat of sea turtles to understand the biology and status of these endangered species and better conserve them. Celebrate #SeaTurtleWeek with NOAA!