Researchers at Hacettepe University are using satellite transmitters to monitor endangered land tortoises living on the institution’s Beytepe campus in Ankara, offering rare, real-time insights into the species’ behavior.
The Beytepe campus, known for its extensive green spaces and relatively preserved natural environment, hosts a wide range of plant and animal life.
Scientists are now focusing on the population of land tortoises, which are classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
As part of the study, tortoises are carefully captured, marked and fitted with small, solar-powered satellite transmitters that do not harm the animals. These devices allow researchers to track their movements, habitat use and daily activity patterns remotely.
“We mark every tortoise we find,” Associate Professor Mehmet Kürşat Şahin from the university’s Biology Department said. “This helps us determine whether we are observing the same individual again or encountering a new one.”
Preliminary observations suggest that the campus may host a larger tortoise population than initially expected.
Using the satellite data, researchers aim to better understand how the tortoises use different areas of the campus throughout the year, including where they feed, reproduce and hibernate.
Another key focus of the study is nidification, or nesting ecology, which plays a critical role in the species’ survival.
Researchers hope the findings will contribute to broader global efforts to protect vulnerable species.
