Meet the 900-Pound Cutie You Can Track Off New York’s Shoreline

Meet Bootes!

The nearly Half Ton leatherback sea turtle was recently “pinged” near the East Coast of Long Island, sparking excitement among New Yorkers who are tracking its journey up the Atlantic.

Originally Tagged by OCEARCH off Juno Beach, Florida, Bootes has made an incredible 6,400-mile migration, reaching as far as Newfoundland before turning south and returning to New York’s coastal waters.

Her latest ping, near Veatch Canyon—just 170 miles from Long Island Sound—highlights New York’s oceanfront role in her journey.

Bootes’ story began two decades ago, with her first sighting in 2002.

At 20 years old, she has become an icon for the Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s research on leatherback sea turtles. This center, in collaboration with OCEARCH, tracks these impressive creatures to understand migration patterns, nesting habits, and the impacts of human activity on their survival.

TRACK BOOTES HERE

The East Coast waters off Long Island provide a crucial habitat for Bootes and her fellow sea turtles. Through these tracking efforts, researchers can gather valuable data on how turtles interact with New York’s coastal environment.

For every “ping,” Bootes must surface for about 90 seconds, giving scientists insight into her exact location and behavior.

The Loggerhead Marinelife Center has tagged over 700 leatherbacks, including Bootes, thanks to support from the Sea Turtle Grants Program, funded by Florida’s Vanity "sea turtle" license plates.

To learn more about supporting sea turtle research and conservation, visit Helping Sea Turtles and join efforts to protect New York’s temporary oceanic visitors.