Turtle Jorge has already traveled 500 kilometers at sea and is now in Uruguay.

Two weeks after the reintroduction of the turtle Jorge into the waters of the Argentine Atlantic , he is in perfect condition, has already traveled approximately 500 kilometers and is currently in Uruguay , near the coast of Piriápolis.

In this regard, Mayor Ulpiano Suarez held a Zoom meeting with biologists Mariela Dassis and Laura Prosdocimi to learn all the details of the animal's new life in its natural habitat.

From this great distance traveled in these 15 days, all scientific interpretations have been positive. His physical condition is very good, his muscles are in perfect condition, he is oriented well at all times, he is eating properly, and his ability to survive in the wild is intact.

In this context, it's worth remembering that before Jorge, a loggerhead turtle of the Caretta caretta species, was placed back in the sea , a satellite transmitter was placed on his shell, an investment made by the City of Mendoza. Currently, the tracker is monitored by the two specialists who participated in the meeting: Mariela Dassis, a researcher at CONICET, and Laura Prosdocimi, a biologist on the team from the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences.

Turtle George

Through a presentation they shared, the professionals showed how the transmitter from the French company Argos works and how they obtain information from this (also called) rangefinder , which is precisely an instrument created to track animals.

“Argos is the company with which the Municipality signed a contract to conduct satellite tracking, which works with the so-called Doppler effect. It involves a change in the wavelengths perceived when one of these instruments emits a signal through its antenna. This message is received by the satellite, which calculates its position, where it is on the planet, processes it, and sends it to us within three hours,” explained Dassis.

According to reports, between April 24 and 25, 2025, they were able to determine that the animal was located near Montevideo and Piriápolis, Uruguay. "The last location was yesterday (Thursday the 24th) at 12:30 p.m. I estimated it as if it were linearly following each position of good quality, and the minimum distance Jorge traveled and swam was approximately 470 kilometers," he explained.

Regarding his movement, which is completely normal for his species, he reported that since he began his journey to freedom, he has always swum north and northeast and then spends one or two days in a fixed area to explore, rest, and feed.

Turtle George's Tour

“As soon as Jorge returned to the marine environment , he took some time to get his bearings, but he's following the natural route. This is what is expected of these species at this time of year: moving up toward this area of ​​the Río de la Plata. He may spend a few days there and stay—at least—until the end of May. Then, he'll continue his route north. All the cases we've studied in this area are of subadult individuals, and Jorge is an adult ,” Laura Prosdocimi explained.

Although Jorge is a predator, he would only be exposed to attack from a more powerful animal, such as an orca or a shark, but fortunately, neither of them swim along those coasts. What could, unfortunately, pose a potential danger to the animal are fishing fleets, the experts indicated.

"Yesterday we were awake because Jorge was very close to two Uruguayan boats. So far, we know neither of the vessels captured him, so Jorgito continues circling off Piriápolis," they said, relieved.

During that part of the Zoom session, Ulpiano asked them about how long the monitoring could continue, given that the tracker has a lifespan. “We set it up to have multiple positions at the beginning; we didn't set the temperature setting to save battery life. I think it will last between four and eight months; it varies greatly because it depends on when Jorge takes his shell out. He regulates its use based on the battery. It has a conductivity and humidity sensor; when he surfaces, it turns on and starts transmitting messages. When he goes into the water or is standing with his head out but submerges his shell, it starts saving battery,” said Mariela Dassis.

In detail, the problems that can cause "the transmission to cut out and we no longer know where Jorge is" include mechanical wear, breakage due to a blow, or organisms becoming infested with the sensor: "If at some point the communication is cut off, that doesn't mean Jorge is doing badly. It's simply that we're no longer communicating, and we'll be upset, but I'm sure he'll still be fine."