Miniature satellite tags reveal diving behavior of juvenile sea turtles

Until recently, researchers were unable to conduct satellite-tracking studies on juvenile turtles because of their small body sizes and immediate dispersal into the ocean, leaving this period of their lives enigmatic and often referred to as the "lost years." A study titled "Pioneering insights into the diving behavior of early-stage sea turtles revealed by novel marine miniaturized satellite tags," published in Scientific Reports in April 2026, provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of vertical diving behavior in early life stages of leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles.