Digital Sea Turtles to aid researchers
As challenging as it is to scan living creatures, the Digital Life Project is up to it. The project began at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in November 2016 with the goal of creating a digital “ark” of life on Earth. Imagine having millions of species right at your fingertips, a digital museum that can be pulled up and perused at any time. The Digital Life Project is working to capture 3D scans of all life including animals, plants, and even eggs.
Currently, the Digital Life team is focused on sea turtles. There are seven species of sea turtles, and no preserved specimens in good condition exist of any of them, so the team wants to create 3D animated models of them all, so that researchers can study their physiology and movements, test theories about how they swim, and better understand their migration patterns. They can also be 3D printed or used in virtual reality platforms.
Last month, the Digital Life Project released 3D models of two sea turtles: a green sea turtle called Scallywag and a loggerhead sea turtle they named Shelly. Scallywag had been attacked by a shark and was missing one of its front flippers. The turtle was taken in, cared for, and then 3D scanned, capturing all of its details and scars.
Click the link to read the full story and play with some 3-D models.
Three upcoming events for your diaries.
On Saturday 12th May at 10 a.m the Turtle Rescue League will be coming to the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum for a class on helping our native turtles. Visit their facebook page for more info.
On Wednesday 16th May 7:00 PM – 8:30 The Kitchener Public Library, Ontario have a talk about the Turtle Conservation and Egg Incubation Program in Ontario. See the link to register.
On Saturday 19th May from 6 – 8:30pm, at the Benjamin Banneker Museum, 300 Oella Drive, Catonvsille, MD 21228 the next meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Turtle and Tortoise Society (MATTS) will be held. MATTS is very pleased and honored to have Dr. Peter Paul van Dijk speak about the highlights of his world-wide turtle conservation work. Dr. van Dijk is well-known around the world for his accomplishments in helping to save threatened turtle and tortoise species. He has dedicated over 25 years in legislation, research, education, explorations, habitat preservation efforts, and more. His efforts have saved many species from certain extinction. He will be speaking on some of his life’s fascinating work experiences.
For directions and the times of future meetings, please visit: MATTS events
Turtle News From Around the World
Conservation
USA:- New Aldabrachelys gigantea exhibit comes to Lehigh Valley Zoo
Ecology
USA:- Lake Eola turtles need perches, say Turtle and Tortoise Club of Florida (Video)
Education
Canada:- Turtle festival stirs interest and concern
USA:- Turtles Fly Too offers unique educational experience at Boise high school (Video)
Health & Medical
USA:- Lepidochelys kempii found dead in Cherry Grove
USA:- Dermochelys coriacea euthanized after being struck by boat in Jupiter
Miscellany
Luxembourg:- Tortoise Found in Diekirch
Question or Concerns? Want to submit an article to get posted? Email us at [email protected].
Photo from DigitalLife3D.
