What are the methods used to tag sea turtles?
There are three primary methods of tagging sea turtles. Flipper tags are made of metal or plastic and are clipped onto the turtles’ flipper(s). These tags are clearly visible, each containing a unique serial number and the address of the organization applying the tags. There also are tags called Passive Integrated Transponder tags or “PIT tags.” These are microchips that are injected into the turtles shoulder muscle, the area of the flipper closest to the shell. Each PIT tag also has a unique digital serial number and requires the use of PIT scanning equipment to display the tag number. While PIT tags are more secure than flipper tags, their higher cost and the need for specialized equipment limits many researchers from using them.
