Inferred Adult Foraging Grounds of Two Marine Turtle Species Nesting at Amami-Oshima, Japan

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Katsuki Oki ◽  
Tomoko Hamabata ◽  
Toshimitsu Arata ◽  
Denise M. Parker ◽  
Connie Ka Yan Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Turtle Species

scholarly journals Dietary analysis of two sympatric marine turtle species in the eastern Mediterranean

2021 ◽  
Vol 168 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josie L. Palmer ◽  
Damla Beton ◽  
Burak A. Çiçek ◽  
Sophie Davey ◽  
Emily M. Duncan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Green Turtle ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Dietary Analysis ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Dietary Shift ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Loggerhead Turtles

AbstractDietary studies provide key insights into threats and changes within ecosystems and subsequent impacts on focal species. Diet is particularly challenging to study within marine environments and therefore is often poorly understood. Here, we examined the diet of stranded and bycaught loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in North Cyprus (35.33° N, 33.47° E) between 2011 and 2019. A total of 129 taxa were recorded in the diet of loggerhead turtles (n = 45), which were predominantly carnivorous (on average 72.1% of dietary biomass), foraging on a large variety of invertebrates, macroalgae, seagrasses and bony fish in low frequencies. Despite this opportunistic foraging strategy, one species was particularly dominant, the sponge Chondrosia reniformis (21.5%). Consumption of this sponge decreased with increasing turtle size. A greater degree of herbivory was found in green turtles (n = 40) which predominantly consumed seagrasses and macroalgae (88.8%) with a total of 101 taxa recorded. The most dominant species was a Lessepsian invasive seagrass, Halophila stipulacea (31.1%). This is the highest percentage recorded for this species in green turtle diet in the Mediterranean thus far. With increasing turtle size, the percentage of seagrass consumed increased with a concomitant decrease in macroalgae. Seagrass was consumed year-round. Omnivory occurred in all green turtle size classes but reduced in larger turtles (> 75 cm CCL) suggesting a slow ontogenetic dietary shift. Macroplastic ingestion was more common in green (31.6% of individuals) than loggerhead turtles (5.7%). This study provides the most complete dietary list for marine turtles in the eastern Mediterranean.

scholarly journals Critical In-Water Habitats for Post-Nesting Sea Turtles from the Southern Gulf of Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 793
Author(s):  
Abigail Uribe-Martínez ◽  
María de los Angeles Liceaga-Correa ◽  
Eduardo Cuevas
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Large Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Physical Features

Marine turtles are globally endangered species that spend more than 95% of their life cycle in in-water habitats. Nevertheless, most of the conservation, recovery and research efforts have targeted the on-land habitats, due to their easier access, where adult females lay their eggs. Targeting the large knowledge gaps on the in-water critical habitats of turtles, particularly in the Large Marine Ecosystem Gulf of Mexico, is crucial for their conservation and recovery in the long term. We used satellite telemetry to track 85 nesting females from their beaches after they nested to identify their feeding and residency habitats, their migratory corridors and to describe the context for those areas. We delimited major migratory corridors in the southern Gulf of Mexico and West Caribbean and described physical features of internesting and feeding home ranges located mainly around the Yucatan Peninsula and Veracruz, Mexico. We also contributed by describing general aggregation and movement patterns for the four marine turtle species in the Atlantic, expanding the knowledge of the studied species. Several tracked individuals emigrated from the Gulf of Mexico to as far as Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Bahamas. This information is critical for identifying gaps in marine protection and for deciphering the spatial connectivity in large ocean basins, and it provides an opportunity to assess potential impacts on marine turtle populations and their habitats.

scholarly journals Plastic ingestion by freshwater turtles: a review and call to action

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam G. Clause ◽  
Aaron J. Celestian ◽  
Gregory B. Pauly
Keyword(s):  
Marine Species ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Freshwater Turtle ◽  
Freshwater Turtles ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Implementation Quality ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Conservation Concern

AbstractPlastic pollution, and especially plastic ingestion by animals, is a serious global issue. This problem is well documented in marine systems, but it is relatively understudied in freshwater systems. For turtles, it is unknown how plastic ingestion compares between marine and non-marine species. We review the relevant turtle dietary literature, and find that plastic ingestion is reported for all 7 marine turtle species, but only 5 of 352 non-marine turtle species. In the last 10 years, despite marine turtles representing just 2% of all turtle species, almost 50% of relevant turtle dietary studies involved only marine turtles. These results suggest that the potential threat of plastic ingestion is poorly studied in non-marine turtles. We also examine plastic ingestion frequency in a freshwater turtle population, finding that 7.7% of 65 turtles had ingested plastic. However, plastic-resembling organic material would have inflated our frequency results up to 40% higher were it not for verification using Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, we showcase how non-native turtles can be used as a proxy for understanding the potential for plastic ingestion by co-occurring native turtles of conservation concern. We conclude with recommendations for how scientists studying non-marine turtles can improve the implementation, quality, and discoverability of plastic ingestion research.

scholarly journals Natal foraging philopatry in eastern Pacific hawksbill turtles

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 170153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander R. Gaos ◽  
Rebecca L. Lewison ◽  
Michael P. Jensen ◽  
Michael J. Liles ◽  
Ana Henriquez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Research ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Natal Philopatry ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Complex Processes ◽  
Natal Homing ◽  
Hawksbill Turtles

The complex processes involved with animal migration have long been a subject of biological interest, and broad-scale movement patterns of many marine turtle populations still remain unresolved. While it is widely accepted that once marine turtles reach sexual maturity they home to natal areas for nesting or reproduction, the role of philopatry to natal areas during other life stages has received less scrutiny, despite widespread evidence across the taxa. Here we report on genetic research that indicates that juvenile hawksbill turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) in the eastern Pacific Ocean use foraging grounds in the region of their natal beaches, a pattern we term natal foraging philopatry. Our findings confirm that traditional views of natal homing solely for reproduction are incomplete and that many marine turtle species exhibit philopatry to natal areas to forage. Our results have important implications for life-history research and conservation of marine turtles and may extend to other wide-ranging marine vertebrates that demonstrate natal philopatry.

scholarly journals The Olive Ridley Project (ORP): A successful example of how to engage researchers, conservation practitioners and civil society

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Stelfox ◽  
Mercedes Martin-Cereceda ◽  
Karim Vahed ◽  
Jillian Hudgins ◽  
Stephanie Köhnk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Community Education ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Research Engagement ◽  
The Uk

The Olive Ridley Project (ORP) was set up to protect sea turtles and their habitats. The project was formed in 2013, and it became a registered charity in the UK in 2016. From its inception, ORP took a multidisciplinary approach to achieve its goals. Part of its objectives, and the reason why the charity came to fruition, are related to the issue of olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) entanglement in abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (also known as ‘ghost gear’ or ‘ghost nets’), and the search for ghost gear and turtle entanglement ‘hot spots’ throughout the Indian Ocean. The initial ORP research questions were soon challenged by societal interests to develop inclusive educational programmes in local communities and tourist resorts that could raise awareness about the need for conservation of all sea turtle species. In February 2017, ORP opened the first veterinarian-run, fully equipped Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in the Maldives, bringing together the work of researchers, citizen scientists, volunteers, environmentalists, marine biologists and veterinarians. The present work of ORP sits on a strong and scientifically robust collaborative plan. Current ORP research projects range from sea turtle population analyses, spatial ecology, rehabilitation of injured and sick individuals, epibiont parasite analyses, precise turtle identification through photo-ID research, linking ghost gear to responsible fisheries, and analyses of ghost gear drift patterns. The programme enhances community education and outreach by engaging schoolchildren, organizing workshops, promoting sustainable use of ghost gear waste, and training citizen scientists and local fishing communities. The ORP programme encompasses many principles of research engagement, effectively combining scientific knowledge, education and action. This article explores all stages of the process (from research planning and design, to knowledge exchange and inter- and trans-disciplinary impact assessments), describing the active engagement originated by the ORP initiative. A reflective insight into the learning, enrichment and challenges of engaging researchers and community actors is also included, considering the current social and scientific framework.

scholarly journals Does behaviour affect the dispersal of flatback post-hatchlings in the Great Barrier Reef?

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 170164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Wildermann ◽  
Kay Critchell ◽  
Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes ◽  
Colin J. Limpus ◽  
Eric Wolanski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Local Water ◽  
Natator Depressus ◽  
Nesting Beaches

The ability of individuals to actively control their movements, especially during the early life stages, can significantly influence the distribution of their population. Most marine turtle species develop oceanic foraging habitats during different life stages. However, flatback turtles ( Natator depressus ) are endemic to Australia and are the only marine turtle species with an exclusive neritic development. To explain the lack of oceanic dispersal of this species, we predicted the dispersal of post-hatchlings in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia, using oceanographic advection-dispersal models. We included directional swimming in our models and calibrated them against the observed distribution of post-hatchling and adult turtles. We simulated the dispersal of green and loggerhead turtles since they also breed in the same region. Our study suggests that the neritic distribution of flatback post-hatchlings is favoured by the inshore distribution of nesting beaches, the local water circulation and directional swimming during their early dispersal. This combination of factors is important because, under the conditions tested, if flatback post-hatchlings were entirely passively transported, they would be advected into oceanic habitats after 40 days. Our results reinforce the importance of oceanography and directional swimming in the early life stages and their influence on the distribution of a marine turtle species.

Tetranucleotide markers from the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and their cross-amplification in other marine turtle species

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 577-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M. Shamblin ◽  
Brant C. Faircloth ◽  
Mark G. Dodd ◽  
Dean A. Bagley ◽  
Llewellyn M. Ehrhart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Loggerhead Sea Turtle ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Cross Amplification

scholarly journals The nesting success of green turtles on beaches at Kazanli, Turkey

Oryx ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie J. Coley ◽  
Andrew C. Smart
Keyword(s):  
Nest Site ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Nesting Success ◽  
Beach Erosion ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Nesting Beaches ◽  
Turkish Society

The green turtle Chelonia mydas is one of two marine turtle species to nest in Turkey. Its three main nesting beaches are in eastern Turkey, with possibly the densest congregation of nesting turtles in the Mediterranean being found at Kazanli. However, beach erosion, hatchling predation, agricultural encroachment and chemical pollution mean that the future of the Kazanli nest site is uncertain. The Turkish Society for the Protection of Nature (Dogal Hayati Koruma Dernegi) is making valiant efforts to protect all the turtle nesting beaches in Turkey but lacks detailed information on the numbers of nesting turtles on many beaches. This paper describes a short study of nesting turtles at Kazanli during 1990 and makes recommendations for the conservation of the nesting beach.

Taxonomic distinctness in the diet of two sympatric marine turtle species

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 1036-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas B. Stringell ◽  
Wesley V. Clerveaux ◽  
Brendan J. Godley ◽  
Flora E. A. Kent ◽  
Emma D. G. Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Taxonomic Distinctness ◽  
Turtle Species

Long-distance migrations by the hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, from north-eastern Australia

1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Miller ◽  
Kirstin A. Dobbs ◽  
Colin J. Limpus ◽  
Neil Mattocks ◽  
André M. Landry Jr
Keyword(s):  
Adult Female ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Nesting Beaches ◽  
Hawksbill Turtles

Tag recoveries from four adult female hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, tagged on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, are reported. Hawksbill turtles on breeding migrations move between Australia and neighbouring countries including Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Migratory distances between foraging areas and nesting beaches ranged from 368 to 2425 km. A review of data from tag recoveries, genetic analysis and satellite telemetry indicates that adult female hawksbill turtles often exhibit migratory behaviour parallelling that of other marine turtle species. This study refutes the myth that hawksbill turtles remain resident at reefs associated with their nesting beaches.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document