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Galapagos Green Sea Turtle

Galapagos Green Sea Turtle

Credit: Boyd N. Lyon

Mid-19th century sample

Mid-19th century sample

Preserved piece of a green sea turtle shell.

Credit: Michael Stoyka

Out at sea

Historic records show sea turtles were imported in the 1850s to feed starving settlers along the California Coast.

Credit: Wallace J. Nichols

Bone sample

Researchers analyzed carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen stable isotopes of bone collagen and carbon and oxygen stable isotopes of bone apatite to test if eastern Pacific sea turtle diets have changed over the past 160 years—this provided data to test whether environmental changes affected food resources for sea turtles.

Credit: Cyler Conrad

Cracking the case: The taste for turtle and the disappearing delicacy

UNM researcher part of team looking at the reasons behind the decline of a majestic sea creature

By Katie Williams June 21, 2018

Categories: Front Page College of Arts & Sciences Anthropology Biology Research

Tags: Green Sea Turtle UNM Anthropology Research

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