scholarly journals The distribution and conservation status of marine turtles in The Gambia, West Africa: a first assessment

Oryx ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda K. Barnett ◽  
Craig Emms ◽  
Alpha Jallow ◽  
Anna Mbenga Cham ◽  
Jeanne A. Mortimer
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
The Gambia ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Green Turtles

This paper reports the first systematic survey of the marine turtles of the 80 km of Gambian coastline, and brings together new data and all past records and reports of marine turtles in The Gambia. Green turtles Chelonia mydas are the most abundant turtles and this is the only species so far observed nesting in The Gambia, with peak nesting between August and October. Although 75% (60 km) of The Gambian coastline appears to be suitable for turtle nesting, most nesting activity is confined to the southern coastline. Offshore foraging habitat is apparently extensive. Strandings of green turtles, olive ridley turtles Lepidochelys olivacea, leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea and hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata have been recorded, but we were unable to find evidence for loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta. Threats are mainly of human origin, and include illegal harvesting of eggs, juveniles and adults, as well as mortality as fisheries bycatch, including trawling. One stranded green turtle apparently had fibropapilloma disease. The major threat to nesting habitats is erosion and unregulated development of the coast for tourism. Marine turtles are fully protected under Gambian law. Other national efforts to conserve turtles in The Gambia are described and assessed.

scholarly journals Status of Marine Turtles in British Columbia Waters: A Reassessment

2004 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald F. McAlpine ◽  
Stan A. Orchard ◽  
Kelly A. Sendall ◽  
Rod Palm
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Concerted Effort ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Green Turtles

Marine turtles in British Columbia have previously been considered off course stragglers. Here we document 20 new reports for Green Turtles, Chelonia mydas, and Leatherback Turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, for the province. Until recently there had been no concerted effort to acquire data on marine turtle abundance or frequency off British Columbia. Observations presented here allow a reassessment of marine turtle status in British Columbia waters. We suggest Green Turtles and Leatherbacks should be considered rare vagrants and uncommon seasonal residents, respectively, off British Columbia and that they are a natural part of the British Columbia marine environment.

Green Sea Turtles Stranded by Cyclone Kathy on the South-Westeern Coast of the Culf of Carpentaria

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 523 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Limpus ◽  
PC Reed
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
Green Sea Turtles ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Previous Season ◽  
Hawksbill Turtles ◽  
Principal Species

Cyclone Kathy on 23 March 1984 stranded many green turtles, Chelonia mydas, on the coast adjacent to the Sir Edward Pellew Is. It is estimated that over 1000 were thrown up by the storm surge and that over 500 were left stranded by the receding waters, including migrants from the Raine I. rookery. These turtles, which were predominately large females, had been feeding close inshore on seagrass. Of the mature females sampled, 62% were preparing to breed in the next breeding season but none had bred in the previous season. The flatback turtle, Chelonia depressa, the principal species breeding on the Sir Edward Pellew Is, was not involved in the stranding. Hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, and olive ridley turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea, which occur in the deeper offshore waters were also not stranded. Some of the rescued turtles were subsequently recaptured nesting at Raine I.

scholarly journals Checklist of sea turtles endohelminth in Neotropical region

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Werneck ◽  
R. J. Da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Loggerhead Turtle ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Neotropical Region ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
The Caribbean

SummaryThis paper presents a list of parasites described in sea turtles from the Neotropical region. Through the review of literature the occurrence of 79 taxa of helminthes parasites were observed, mostly consisting of the Phylum Platyhelminthes with 76 species distributed in 14 families and 2 families of the Phylum Nematoda within 3 species. Regarding the parasite records, the most studied host was the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) followed by the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). Overall helminths were reported in 12 countries and in the Caribbean Sea region. This checklist is the largest compilation of data on helminths found in sea turtles in the Neotropical region.

scholarly journals First field observation of the predation by Jaguar (Panthera onca) on Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) at Nancite Beach, Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-23
Author(s):  
Sergio Escobar-Lasso ◽  
Luis Fonseca ◽  
Wilbert N. Villachica ◽  
Hansel Herrera ◽  
Roldán A. Valverde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
Santa Rosa National Park ◽  
Key Resources

Jaguars have been recorded preying on adult female sea turtles on their nesting beaches in Costa Rica, Guyana, Mexico and Suriname (Fretey 1977, Autar 1994, Cuevas et al. 2014, Guildera et al. 2015). Jaguars prey on Green (Chelonia mydas), Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles (see Fretey 1977, Autar 1994, Carrillo et al. 1994, Chinchilla 1997, Tröeng 2000, Heithaus et al. 2008, Veríssimo et al. 2012, Arroyo-Arce et al. 2014, Cuevas et al. 2014, Arroyo-Arce & Salom-Pérez 2015, Guildera et al. 2015). The capture effort and risk of injury associated with the predation of nesting sea turtles is expected to be lower relative to other prey species in the jaguar’s diet (Cavalcanti & Gese 2010). Additionally, they can be key resources when other pr ey availability is low (Veríssimo et al. 2012).

scholarly journals Plastic ingestion by sea turtles in Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila Poli ◽  
Daniel Oliveira Mesquita ◽  
Cinthia Saska ◽  
Rita Mascarenhas
Keyword(s):  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Carapace Length ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Northeast Brazil ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
Green Turtles

ABSTRACT Currently, plastics are recognized as a major pollutant of the marine environment, representing a serious threat to ocean wildlife. Here, we examined the occurrence and effects of plastic ingestion by sea turtles found stranded along the coast of Paraíba State, Brazil from August 2009 to July 2010. Ninety-eight digestive tracts were examined, with plastic found in 20 (20.4%). Sixty five percent (n = 13) of turtles with plastic in the digestive tract were green turtles (Chelonia mydas), 25% (n = 5) were hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata), and 10% (n = 2) were olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). More plastic was found in the intestine (85%) than in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. We observed complete blockage of the gastrointestinal tract due to the presence of plastic in 13 of the 20 turtles that had ingested plastic. No correlation was found between the curved carapace length (CCL) and the number or mass of the plastic ingested items. Significant differences were found between the intake of hard and soft plastic and the ingestion of white/transparent and colored plastic, with soft and white/transparent plastics being more commonly ingested. This study reveals the serious problem of plastic pollution to sea turtles at the area.

scholarly journals Sea turtles of Madagascar – their status, exploitation and conservation

Oryx ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berthin Rakotonirina ◽  
Andrew Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Loggerhead Turtle ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
Average Size ◽  
Hawksbill Turtles

Five species of sea turtles are known from Madagascar's coastal waters. Fishermen on the western and south-western coasts take green turtle Chelonia mydas, loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta and olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea for their meat. The hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata is taken mainly for its shell and for making stuffed specimens while the leatherback Dermochelys coriacea is seldom caught. Anecdotal evidence of fishermen and dealers in turtle products, measurement of captured animals and personal observations of the authors all point to declines in numbers and average size for green and hawksbill turtles, coupled with marked declines in nesting rates for these and the olive ridley.

scholarly journals PERFIL EPIDEMIOLÓGICO DA FIBROPAPILOMATOSE EM TARTARUGAS-MARINHAS ENCALHADAS ENTRE O LITORAL SUL DE ALAGOAS E NORTE DA BAHIA, NORDESTE DO BRASIL

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leticia Koproski ◽  
Órion Pedro da Silva ◽  
Caio Alexandre Maciel Santos ◽  
Andrei Manoel Brum Febrônio ◽  
Fábio Teles de Santana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea

Em um intervalo de quatro anos, a prevalência da fibropapilomatose em tartarugas encalhadas em uma região do nordeste do Brasil compreendida entre o sul de Alagoas e o norte da Bahia foi de 16% em Chelonia mydas, 2% em Caretta caretta e 0,6% em Lepidochelys olivacea. C. mydas acometidas apresentaram biometria média de 0,49m de Comprimento Curvilíneo da Carapaça - CCC. Machos e fêmeas foram igualmente acometidos, numa média de 22%. Pela análise de 1231 registros fotográficos, a média foi de 13 tumores por C. mydas. Nessa espécie 76,77% dos tumores foram registrados na parte anterior do corpo, 17,97% na região posterior, 4,12% na carapaça e plastrão e 1,0% nos globos oculares. Não foram registrados tumores na cavidade oral. C. mydas foram em sua maioria moderadamente afetadas pela doença. L. olivacea acometida apresentou biometria média de 0,69m de CCC. Machos e fêmeas foram atingidas numa média de 1,0%. Os tumores em L. olivacea foram observados na porção anterior e posterior do corpo. Somente um indivíduo do sexo masculino de C. caretta, com biometria de 1,03m de CCC apresentou sinal da doença. A C. caretta apresentava um tumor externo pedunculado na região cervical, de tamanho entre 1,1cm e 4,0cm de diâmetro. As prevalências da fibropapilomatose em Eretmochelys imbricata e Dermochelys coriacea foram de 0,0%. A prevalência da fibropapilomatose em C. mydas segue padrões encontrados para a costa brasileira. No entanto, a doença se manifesta com severidade levemente superior a encontrada no litoral da região sudeste do país.

scholarly journals MARES E TARTARUGAS VERDES: ANÁLISE DE ENCALHES DE CHELONIA MYDAS NO LITORAL DE FORTALEZA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur José Cavalcante Gois ◽  
Ívina Leal Dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea

Introdução: O Instituto Verdeluz é uma ONG ambientalista que atua na cidade de Fortaleza e região metropolitana, contendo 4 projetos. Um destes projetos é o GTAR, que atua na pesquisa e conservação com as cinco espécies de tartarugas marinhas que ocorrem no litoral brasileiro, sendo elas Tartaruga-Verde (Chelonia Mydas), Tartaruga-de-Pente (Eretmochelys imbricata), Tartaruga-de-Couro (Dermochelys coriácea), Tartaruga-Oliva (Lepidochelys olivácea) e Tartaruga-Cabeçuda (Caretta caretta). Ainda que em diferentes níveis, estas espécies são classificas como ameaçadas, sendo a Tartaruga-Verde, objeto de estudo deste projeto, classificada como vulnerável e em perigo, segundo o Ministério do Meio Ambiente (MMA) e União Internacional para a Conservação da Natureza e dos Recursos Naturais (IUCN), respectivamente. Estes animais são conhecidos por sua migração entre áreas de alimentação, reprodução e nidificação, sendo o litoral Cearense utilizado principalmente na alimentação e ovoposição. Objetivo: O presente estudo visou analisar os encalhes de Chelonia mydas no litoral de Fortaleza, afim de fomentar práticas de conservação da espécie e indicar características de praias e da espécie que aumentam as chances de encalhes. Material e Métodos: Foram utilizados metadados coletados pelo Instituto Verdeluz entre 2016 e 2018, sendo eles: data, horário e local do encalhe, medidas de tamanho (largura e comprimento do casco), sexo (masculino, feminino ou indefinido), faixa etária (filhote, juvenil ou adulto) e estado do indivíduo, totalizando 48 ocorrências. Através do programa BioEstat, foram realizadas análises de distribuição e correlação entre os dados da ocorrência e as características das praias no momento do encalhe. RESULTADOS: Os resultados apontaram que fêmeas tem maior probabilidade de encalharem do que os machos e os indivíduos sexo indefinido. A localização do encalhe nas praias de Fortaleza não causa uma alteração significativa no número de encalhes, uma vez que todas possuem grau de proximidade e formações arenosas semelhantes. A maré e o tamanho do casco influenciam diretamente no número de encalhes, pois ambos dificultam a volta do animal para o mar. Conclusão: Projetos de pesquisa e conservação sobre tartarugas marinhas, como o GTAR-Verdeluz, mostram-se essenciais para a conservação da espécie, pois o conhecimento mais profundo das ameaças a espécie nos permite realizar atividades de conservação mais eficazes.

scholarly journals Remains of Leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, at Mid-Late Holocene archaeological sites in coastal Oman: clues of past worlds

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e6123
Author(s):  
John G. Frazier ◽  
Valentina Azzarà ◽  
Olivia Munoz ◽  
Lapo Gianni Marcucci ◽  
Emilie Badel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Late Holocene ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Resource Exploitation ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Exploitation And Utilization ◽  
Intense Exploitation ◽  
Human Burials

Small, irregular isolated bones identified as remains of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) were recovered from Mid to Late Holocene sites at Ra’s al-Hamra and Ra’s al-Hadd, coastal Oman. These provide the third instance of this animal being documented from any prehistoric site anywhere, and the records provide one of the oldest, if not the oldest, dates for this distinctive chelonian—even though they do not refer to fossils. Decades of research in this region has yielded vast amounts of archeological information, including abundant evidence of intense exploitation and utilization of marine turtles from about 6,500 to 4,000 BP. During part of this period, turtle remains in human burials have been extraordinary; the turtle involved, Chelonia mydas, has been abundant in the region during modern times. Yet despite intense and varied forms of prehistoric marine resource exploitation, and major, long-term archeological work, no other turtle species has been previously authenticated from these, or other coastal sites. The documentation of remains of the largest and most distinctive of living marine turtles, D. coriacea, at Ra’s al-Hamra and Ra’s al-Hadd, presented herein, provide detailed information that serves as the basis for future interpretations and discussions regarding incomplete, disarticulated remains from the Mid to Late Holocene, particularly in reference to taphonomic questions and diverse environmental conditions.

Navicula dermochelycola sp. nov., presumably an exclusively epizoic diatom on sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea and Lepidochelys olivacea from French Guiana

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Riaux-Gobin ◽  
Andrzej Witkowski ◽  
John Patrick Kociolek ◽  
Damien Chevallier
Keyword(s):  
French Guiana ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Lepidochelys Olivacea ◽  
Diatom Communities ◽  
Eastern Caribbean ◽  
First Time

AbstractEpizoic diatom communities were studied on four turtle species (Chelonia mydas L., Eretmochelys imbricata L., Lepidochelys olivacea Eschscholtz and Dermochelys coriacea Vandelli) from the Eastern Caribbean, the Equatorial West Atlantic and the South Pacific. In the present study, we focused on one taxon of Navicula Bory de Saint-Vincent, described here as a new taxon, which was found on seven individuals of Dermochelys coriacea and one individual of Lepidochelys olivacea in French Guiana. The new Navicula taxon was found neither on Chelonia mydas (83 specimens examined) nor Eretmochelys imbricata (13 specimens examined). Furthermore, the new taxon appears to have a restricted biogeography, as so far it has only been reported from French Guiana. A species of Navicula is reported for the first time as a supposedly exclusive epizoic taxon. Navicula dermochelycola sp. nov. is characterized in detail; its ultrastructure is described and compared with other members of Navicula.

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