Watch | How sea turtles help face cyclones

A video on how sea turtles are fitted with tags that help scientists predict cyclones

Sea turtles on Reunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, are being fitted with special tags to help researchers collect data about cyclones.

Tropical cyclones have a devastating impact on the islands of the southwest Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, which is affected by an average of 1.5 cyclones a year. The most inhabited coastal areas are the most exposed, so predicting the cyclones’ outcome and impacts is a major concern.

Threatened by humans due to the affects of poaching and overexploitation, sea turtles are now helping to protect them. The special initiative, called STORM (Sea Turtles for Ocean Research and Monitoring) is a partnership between the Kelonia care centre and the Atmosphere and Cyclone Laboratory of the University of La Réunion.