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At Upwell, we’re always seeking new ways to mobilize data to power sea turtle conservation—but sometimes data is scarce or doesn’t exist. Predictive models can help us fill in data gaps by using algorithms to explore what we can’t observe directly in the wild through monitoring or tagging. “I’m a big proponent of using models to answer questions that are hard to tackle in the field.” Says Upwell Researcher Anna Ortega. Anna recently created a model that can be used to simulate how changes in ocean temperature and food availability affect a leatherback’s ability to grow and reach reproductive size.
In September 2025, the collaborative Upwell and NOAA leatherback monitoring team tagged our first leatherback in the California Current since 2022! The adult male leatherback weighing 438 kg (almost 1,000 pounds) was fitted with satellite and acoustic tags to collect critical data on movements and habitat use. Read more about what Ricky has been up to since he was tagged in September.
Dr. Heather Harris was invited to participate in the The Seattle Aquarium's Lightning Talk series in the session on sea turtles. During this Lightning Talk, five amazing speakers gave a five-minute presentation followed by a post-talk discussion answering audience questions.