Tahini

Foraging

We can see Tahini actively foraging in this clip. Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are omnivorous, primarily eating invertebrates and crustaceans, but also sometimes eating seagrass and other plant matter. Notice how Tahini is moving her flippers; this helps her stay afloat to eat and is the equivalent of treading water.

Resting

Tahini settles herself into the brown algae for a soft resting spot.

Swimming

Tahini’s swimming may look a little different! Notice that she’s missing a good portion of her right flipper. This may have been caused by a shark bite or the flipper was involuntarily amputated by being entangled in fishing line or other trash.

Other Species Observed

It may be a little hard to see around the algae that fixed itself to the camera, but Tahini encountered a juvenile green sea turtle! This green sea turtle is utilizing the seagrass meadows in Crystal River as a nursery and foraging habitat.

Other Species Observed

Tahini observed a dolphin swimming by! This is most likely an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, a species which utilizes the Crystal River for hunting, resting, and nursing their calves.

Other Species Observed

Tahini observed a fish called a ladyfish! These fish can get up to 3 ft long!