Following the habits of green sea turtles in their attempts to nest on beaches in the Southeast U.S. have long remained a mystery. However in Florida it seems that Green sea turtles are making use of protected areas to nest.

This was confirmed in a study done by U.S. Geological Survey researchers who tracked nesting turtles with satellite tags and analyzed their movement patterns after departed from beaches.

The tracking was done in order to get a better understanding of what habitats the turtles used at sea and whether they were using the protected designated area that was protected.

Up until now, it was not clear whether the turtles made use of existing protected areas set up in Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida. Also few details were available as to whether the areas were well-suited for supporting the green sea turtle's survival.

According to Science Daily, Green turtles are listed as endangered in Florida and are threatened throughout the rest of their range. This crucial study can possibly conserve the species.

After tracking their movements and analyzing their time at sea, the researching team located the areas turtles used between the nesting events and determined where the sea turtles traveled after the nesting season was over.

The team discovered that the green sea turtles spent much of their time in protected sites within both Dry Tortugas National Park and the surrounding areas of the Florida Keys Marine National Sanctuary.

The lead author of the study, research ecologist for the U.S. Geological Survey Kristen Hart was thrilled to know that the turtles were nesting in spots that were already under the "protected status."

Content with fact that the protected areas are being used, Hart knows the focus of this research is to help others gain an understanding.

"The ultimate goal is to help managers [of the Dry Tortugas National Park] understand where these endangered turtles are spending their time both during the breeding period and then when they are at feeding areas."

"Given that worldwide declines in seagrasses -- one of the most important habitats they rely on for food -- has already been documented, this type of data is critical for managers."