scholarly journals Possible decline in leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea nesting along the coast of Caribbean Central America

Oryx ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Troëng ◽  
Didiher Chacón ◽  
Belinda Dick
Keyword(s):  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
Pacific Population ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
San Juan River ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
The Difference

Leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea nesting has declined on Pacific beaches and as a result the species is considered Critically Endangered. Atlantic populations are, however, also important for the species' survival and therefore we undertook a study to quantify the size and nesting trend of the Caribbean Costa Rica and Panama leatherback turtle rookery. Tag returns show that post-nesting females from the rookery disperse throughout the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic. Aerial and track survey results were used to estimate 5,759–12,893 nests per year between San Juan river and Chiriquí beach, making this the fourth largest rookery worldwide. Monitoring results from three beaches (Tortuguero, Pacuare and Gandoca) were used to examine any temporal trend in nesting using nonparametric regression. Nesting appeared to decline slightly from 1995 to 2003 but the trend could be an artefact of interannual variation in nest numbers. Explanations for the difference in nesting trends over the past 15 years for Pacific (rapid decline) and Caribbean (slight decline or stable) rookeries include: (1) hatching success on Caribbean beaches has been higher due to dispersed nesting, (2) fisheries bycatch has been greater in the Pacific, and (3) less overlap between fishing areas and leatherback turtle habitats in the Atlantic. Quantification of human-caused mortality of all life stages and knowledge of the marine habitats used by Atlantic leatherback turtles are required to facilitate the development and implementation of effective strategies to reduce threats and avoid a repeat of the decline that has occurred in the Pacific population.

Changes in diel diving patterns accompany shifts between northern foraging and southward migration in leatherback turtles

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 754-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C. James ◽  
C.A. Ottensmeyer ◽  
S.A. Eckert ◽  
R.A. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
Marine Predator ◽  
The North ◽  
Surface Time ◽  
Northern Latitudes ◽  
Diel Vertical Migrations ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Southward Migration

Diel diving patterns have been widely documented among plankton-feeding marine vertebrates. In many cases, these patterns have been interpreted as a response to the diel vertical migrations of prey. The leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761), is a large marine predator that exploits gelatinous plankton in disparate foraging areas. Individuals of this species spend extended periods at northern latitudes before moving southward through pelagic waters. To identify and compare potential diel patterns of diving behaviour in temperate areas, where foraging has been observed, versus during southward migration, 15 subadult and adult leatherbacks were equipped with satellite-linked time–depth recorders off Nova Scotia, Canada. We observed variation in nocturnal versus diurnal behaviour, both at northern latitudes and during migration; however, diel differences in both diving and surface activity were much less pronounced while leatherbacks were in the north. We interpret the difference in leatherback diel diving regimen to reflect a response to changing resource conditions at these times, with leatherbacks foraging throughout the day and night at high latitudes, then changing to a bimodal pattern of diving during southward migration, with generally longer, deeper diving occurring during the night versus during the day. By quantifying diel changes in leatherback behaviour, we provide the first surface time correction factors based on multiple individuals for use in estimating abundance from aerial surveys.

scholarly journals Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the Gulf of Venezuela: An update stranding assessment 2001-2014

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Rojas-Cañizales ◽  
Nínive Espinoza-Rodríguez ◽  
María Alejandra Rodríguez ◽  
Jordano Palmar ◽  
María Gabriela Montiel-Villalobos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dry Season ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
Fisheries Bycatch ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Minimum Estimate ◽  
The Impact

Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is highly impacted by fisheries’ bycatch worldwide. This study updates and estimates the leatherback turtle stranding records from 2001 to 2014 in the Gulf of Venezuela. Eighty-six stranded leatherback turtles were documented in the coast of the Gulf of Venezuela. Immature leatherback turtles were the most affected (85.1%) and the highest number of strandings were recorded during the dry season (55.8%). Our findings represent the minimum estimate of stranding events for the Gulf of Venezuela, especially considering the current lack of fisheries regulations. This is the latest update for the leatherback turtle strandings in the Gulf of Venezuela and could help to create new management solutions in the area aiming to minimize the impact on leatherback turtle populations in the Caribbean.

scholarly journals Zoogeography of Elasmobranchs in the Colombian Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Felipe Navia ◽  
Paola Andrea Mejía-Falla ◽  
José Sergio Hleap
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Caribbean Sea ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Isthmus Of Panama ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Colonization Event ◽  
Elasmobranch Species ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
The Difference

ABSTRACT In order to investigate zoogeographical patterns of the marine elasmobranch species of Colombia, species richness of the Pacific and Caribbean and their subareas (Coastal Pacific, Oceanic Pacific, Coastal Caribbean, Oceanic Caribbean) was analyzed. The areas shared 10 families, 10 genera and 16 species of sharks, and eight families, three genera and four species of batoids. Carcharhinidae had the highest contribution to shark richness, whereas Rajidae and Urotrygonidae had the greatest contribution to batoid richness in the Caribbean and Pacific, respectively. Most elasmobranchs were associated with benthic and coastal habitats. The similarity analysis allowed the identification of five groups of families, which characterize the elasmobranch richness in both areas. Beta diversity indicated that most species turnover occurred between the Coastal Pacific and the two Caribbean subareas. The difference in species richness and composition between areas may be due to vicariant events such as the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama. It is unlikely that the Colombian elasmobranch diversity originated from a single colonization event. Local diversification/speciation, dispersal from the non-tropical regions of the Americas, a Pacific dispersion and an Atlantic dispersion are origin possibilities without any of them excluding the others.

scholarly journals Protected areas host important remnants of marine turtle nesting stocks in the Dominican Republic

Oryx ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ohiana Revuelta ◽  
Yolanda M. León ◽  
Pablo Feliz ◽  
Brendan J. Godley ◽  
Juan A. Raga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Park ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
The South ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
The Status

AbstractNesting by marine turtles in the Caribbean has declined considerably, mainly because of human exploitation, but there has previously been no monitoring in the Dominican Republic. We present the first detailed assessment of the status of marine turtle nesting in the country, based on surveys during 2006–2010. Nesting populations of hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea are of regional importance and the green turtle Chelonia mydas is still present, although nesting in low numbers. The two main nesting sites are within protected areas: the Jaragua National Park in the south-west, important for leatherback turtles (mean of 126 nests per season), and Del Este National Park on Saona Island in the south-east, principally for hawksbill turtles (mean of 100 nests per season). Comparison with historical data suggests all rookeries are profoundly reduced in size. Although the main nesting beaches are within protected areas, illegal egg-take and meat consumption continues there, and also elsewhere in the country.

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 The isotopic record of Miocene-Recent environmental changes in shallow marine habitats on either side of the Panamanian isthmus

1992 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 108-108
Author(s):  
Dana H. Geary ◽  
Jane L. Teranes ◽  
Bryan E. Bemis
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Annual Cycles ◽  
Shallow Marine ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Near Shore ◽  
The Caribbean

The Pliocene uplift of the Panamanian isthmus isolated previously contiguous Caribbean and eastern Pacific marine faunas, and initiated the development of different selective regimes on opposing sides of the barrier. Contrasting environmental conditions provided the context for different rates and kinds of evolutionary change on either side of the isthmus. The goal of our study is to characterize the rates and types of these paleoenvironmental changes; we employ stable isotopic profiles of venerid bivalve shells from the Miocene-Recent deposits of Panama and Costa Rica.We analyzed geographic and depth variation in Recent shells as a means of calibrating the fossil analyses. Results from Recent venerids highlight the differences between the Caribbean and eastern Pacific shallow marine environments. Pacific shells typically exhibit strong annual fluctuations in δ18O, associated with seasonal upwelling and its associated cool waters. In shallow, near-shore habitats, freshwater runoff during the rainy season also contributes significantly to annual δ18O cycles. Caribbean shells exhibit negligible annual cyclicity.We analyzed fossil shells from the Miocene Gatun Formation, and the Pliocene Cayo Agua, Escudo de Veraguas, and Rio Banano Formations from the Caribbean coast, and the Plio-Pleistocene Charco Azul Group from the Pacific coast. Results from fossil shells indicate that annual cycles are well-preserved, and not obscured by diagenesis or other alteration. A strong annual signal in δ18O (amplitude >1.5‰) is found back at least to the Early Pleistocene along the Pacific coast. Some post-uplift Caribbean samples exhibit stronger seasonality than that observed in similar habitats today.

scholarly journals Nesting ecology and population trend of leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea at Pacuare Nature Reserve, Costa Rica

Oryx ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marga L. Rivas ◽  
Carlos Fernández ◽  
Adolfo Marco
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Central America ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
The Caribbean

AbstractThe leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea, the only extant species in its family, is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The protection of nesting beaches and the associated conservation efforts along the Western Atlantic coast of Central America have improved the population trends of some of the most important rookeries. Here we report the life history, ecology and population trends of leatherback turtles over 18 years (1994–2012, excluding 1998) of effective protection in the Pacuare Nature Reserve, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. A mean density of 142 nests per km, probably the highest in Central America, indicates the importance of this rookery within the Caribbean region. Long-term conservation efforts at the Reserve have significantly reduced poaching and contributed to maintaining a high level of hatchling production. Long-term monitoring has also facilitated estimation of relevant demographic parameters of the population, such as nesting success (mean 69.8 ± SD 7.3%), clutch size (which is positively correlated with female size), hatching success (mean 55.2 ± SD 6.0%), remigration interval (2.5 years), and growth rate of remigrant females (mean 0.3 ± SD 1.0 cm per year), which is slightly faster than growth rates reported for Pacific leatherback turtles. Overall, efforts at Pacuare have been successful in protecting leatherback turtles and understanding their life history, highlighting the importance of long-term conservation projects for maintaining threatened leatherback populations.

Three species of Digenea from the Atlantic leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 1825-1829 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Threlfall
Keyword(s):  
Newfoundland And Labrador ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
Digenetic Trematodes ◽  
The Status

Three species of digenetic trematodes (Pyelosomum renicapite, Calycodes anthos, Cymatocarpus sp. (?)), are reported from two Atlantic leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) taken off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1973. The status of the genera Pyelosomum Looss, 1899 and Astrorchis Poche, 1925 is discussed.

scholarly journals MENDUKUNG UPAYA PERLINDUNGAN PENYU BELIMBIMG (Dermochelys coriacea) MELALUI PENDIDIKAN (PROGRAM KKN WAU-WEYAF, ABUN)

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Freddy Pattiselanno ◽  
Natanael Natumnea ◽  
Kuswanto Kuswanto ◽  
Muhamad Ansarudin ◽  
Yosefina M. Goban ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Religious Education ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Service Program ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
Keywords Education

ABSTRACT Wau-Weyaf Beach is the nesting ground of six species of turtles, including the world's largest turtle, the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). The University of Papua (UNIPA) Manokwari, since 2009 has been directly involved in the turtle nesting area protection program by involving the students of UNIPA through the Community Service Program (KKN). In 2016, students carried out the KKN Program starting from June 30th to August 16th in Kampung Wau-Weyaf, one of the leatherback turtles’ egg-laying locations in Abun. This paper is a part of the Community Service Program which is carried out in the said village. The activities conducted during the KKN include both formal and non-formal education, religious education, and environmental education. Education-based KKN directly helps to improve public awareness which, in turn, supports the efforts to protect and save the leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) on the coast of Abun, Tambrau. The same approach is also able to improve the calistung (the capability to read, write, and count) ability of school children along with their awareness to maintain the cleanliness of their homes, school, and village environment. Keywords: Education; Conservation; Turtle; Wau-Weyaf   ABSTRAK Pantai Wau-Weyaf merupakan tempat bertelur bagi 6 jenis penyu, termasuk penyu terbesar di dunia, Penyu Belimbing (Dermochelys coriacea). Universitas Papua (UNIPA) Manokwari, sejak tahun 2009 telah terlibat secara langsung dalam program perlindungan kawasan peneluran penyu ini melalui pelibatan mahasiswa melalui program Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN). Pada tahun 2016,  mahasiswa Universitas Papua (UNIPA) melaksanakan program KKN yang dilaksanakan antara tanggal 30 Juni sampai dengan 16 Agustus 2016 di Kampung Wau-Weyaf. Tulisan ini merupakan bagian dari pelaksanaan kegiatan KKN yang dilaksanakan di kampung Wau-Weyaf sebagai salah satu lokasi peneluran telur penyu belimbing di Abun.  Kegiatan yang dilakukan meliputi pendidikan formal dan non-formal, pendidikan agama, dan pendidikan lingkungan. KKN berbasis pendidikan yang dilakukan secara langsung membantu meningkatkan penyadar tahuan masyarakat yang menunjang usaha perlindungan dan penyelamatan penyu belimbing (Dermochelys coriacea) di pesisir Abun, Tambrau. Pendekatan yang sama juga mampu meningkatkan kemampuan calistung anak-anak sekolah dan kesadaran menjaga kebersihan lingkungan rumah, sekolah dan kampung. Kata kunci: Pendidikan; Konservasi; Penyu; Wau-Weyaf

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