Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program

10.1101/2020.06.26.174219 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ruth Maggeni ◽

William E Feeney

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

Sea Turtles ◽

Sea Turtle ◽

Breeding Program ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Trial And Error ◽

Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽

Captive Breeding Program ◽

Marine Park

AbstractSea turtle populations are declining and evidence-based methods for supporting their populations are required. Captive breeding and release programs can be effective, offering the opportunity to supplement nature populations; however, sea turtles require specific conditions to successfully breed. Here, we present insights gained from a 16 year Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) captive breeding program that was conducted at the Underwater Observatory Marine Park, Eilat, Israel, between 1982-1997. As the first program of its kind for the Hawksbill sea turtle, insights were gained largely through trial-and-error and word of mouth advice. The key insight gained during this program was the critical importance of pre-breeding separation of the sexes; turtles did not breed prior to pre-breeding separation being implemented, but it became predictably regular once it was. Over the course of the program, 161 two-three years old hatchlings were introduced to the Red Sea, which was enabled largely as a result of pre-breeding separation being implemented.

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Mummified baboons reveal the far reach of early Egyptian mariners

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.60860 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Nathaniel J Dominy ◽

Salima Ikram ◽

Gillian L Moritz ◽

Patrick V Wheatley ◽

John N Christensen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Red Sea ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Papio Hamadryas ◽

Strontium Isotope ◽

Breeding Program ◽

Human History ◽

Luxury Goods ◽

Ancient Egyptian ◽

Captive Breeding Program

The Red Sea was witness to important events during human history, including the first long steps in a trade network (the spice route) that would drive maritime technology and shape geopolitical fortunes for thousands of years. Punt was a pivotal early node in the rise of this enterprise, serving as an important emporium for luxury goods, including sacred baboons (Papio hamadryas), but its location is disputed. Here, we use geospatial variation in the oxygen and strontium isotope ratios of 155 baboons from 77 locations to estimate the geoprovenance of mummified baboons recovered from ancient Egyptian temples and tombs. Five Ptolemaic specimens of P. anubis (404–40 BC) showed evidence of long-term residency in Egypt prior to mummification, consistent with a captive breeding program. Two New Kingdom specimens of P. hamadryas were sourced to a region that encompasses much of present-day Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, and portions of Somalia and Yemen. This result is a testament to the tremendous reach of Egyptian seafaring during the 2nd millennium BC. It also corroborates the balance of scholarly conjecture on the location of Punt.

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Analysis of gene origin in the first adult returns to the Cultus sockeye salmon captive breeding program

Conservation Genetics ◽

10.1007/s10592-011-0246-5 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1469-1483 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ruth E. Withler ◽

Robert H. Devlin ◽

Steve Latham ◽

Chris C. Wood ◽

K. Janine Supernault

Keyword(s):

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Breeding Program ◽

Captive Breeding Program ◽

Gene Origin

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First Captive Breeding Program for the Endangered Pyrenean Sculpin (Cottus hispaniolensis Bacescu-Master, 1964)

Water ◽

10.3390/w12112986 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 2986

Author(s):

Joan Manubens ◽

Oriol Comas ◽

Núria Valls ◽

Lluís Benejam

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

Ex Situ Conservation ◽

Breeding Program ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Major Influence ◽

Freshwater Species ◽

Non Profit ◽

Captive Breeding Program ◽

Critical Phases ◽

Conservation Plans

The strong decline of freshwater fish species in Europe implies that further ex-situ conservation plans should be implemented in the near future. The present study reflects our experience with the Pyrenean sculpin (Cottus hispaniolensis Bacescu-Mester, 1964)—a small cottid endemic to the Hispano-French Garona River basin. In recent years, the Spanish Pyrenean sculpin population has reached a limit situation. Because of that, the non-profit association ADEFFA—with support from the public administration—started the first captive breeding program for this species in 2006. Fourteen years later, this study presents the results and evaluates the different steps of the program, with the aim of discussing and improving the ex-situ conservation plans for this and other cold freshwater species. There is a description and a comparison between six consecutive phases during the captive breeding process: nesting behaviour, courtship, egg fixation, parental care (incubation), hatching and survival during juvenile development. The purposes of this project are to: (1) identify the most determining phases for a successful captive breeding; (2) identify the factors that had a major influence to the success of the critical phases; and (3) increase the number of the offspring. This study is based on thirty-three wild individuals collected from Garona River (Val d’Aran, Spanish Pyrenees). During the program, twelve couples spawned in captive conditions, with around 2300 eggs laid. Eight couples bred successfully, with 751 hatched individuals and 608 juveniles reared. The analysis of each step of the captive breeding does not reveal significant differences between phases, so it can be concluded that they are all critical at the same level. In the literature, similar study-cases of captive breeding programs identify incubation and survival phases as the most critical. Consequently, the management made for this project has probably allowed to overcome in part the main impediments described in other similar programs.

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