Eleven leather backed turtles are being tracked over the next two weeks, as they swim 3,700 miles from Canada to the Caribbean, in an event dubbed "the great turtle race".

The race, organised by Conservation International, kicked off in waters off Halifax on Thursday.

Nesting grounds in the Caribbean will serve as the finish line, which the sea creatures are expected to reach by April 29.

The turtles have been fitted with state-of-the-art satellite transmitters, allowing people to follow their progress.

Data collected during the exercise will help experts learn more about their environment

If anyone has any updates on the Great Race, please let us know.