Transmitter Woes

Spring is almost here and the turtles will come out of hibernation soon and the 2009 turtle tracking year will begin! But there is a problem--three of the six transmitters we are using have malfunctioned over the last month! This was due to an issue in manufacturing. Apparently there is a component used in the transmitters that exhausts the battery much faster than normally. So three transmitters failed and two others that are still transmitting but have the same component have been removed from the turtles. All of the transmitters have been sent back to the manufacturer for refurbishment. All of the turtles except Mojo, who has a different transmitter, have been placed into holding pens and are still in hibernation. The new transmitters will arrive and be attached before the turtles come out of their long nap and the turtles will then be replaced back in their exact hibernation spots. It is my hope that this unfortunate disruption will not alter their natural movements.