Strandings of sea turtles on beaches around the oil capital in Brazil

The south-western region of the Atlantic Ocean has feeding and nesting areas for the five species of sea turtles registered in Brazil, which are in different degrees of extinction threat, mainly due to anthropogenic factors. Fishing and the ingestion of solid waste, were identified as causing stranding and the mortality of sea turtles. In this work, data from the monitoring of beaches in the Municipalities of Macaé and Rio das Ostras, important oil zone in Brazil, in the north-central region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, were used in order to analyse the effects of seasonality on the sea turtle stranding. The monitoring was carried out daily from September 2017 to June 2019, in a study area covering 23.8 km long beach. Stranding data were obtained from active (n = 126) and passive (n = 66) monitoring of beaches and included the records of Chelonia mydas (n = 151), Caretta caretta (n = 23), Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 14), Dermochelys coriacea (n = 2) and Eretmochelys imbricata (n = 1). The largest stranding record occurred in the summer (n = 61) and spring (n = 60), a period compatible with the reproductive season of the species. The results obtained in this study emphasise the importance of the analysis of strandings of sea turtles, which provide relevant data on the biology of the group, the intra and interspecific dynamics and the state of conservation of these animals.

Participatory Risk Assessment of Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Bycatch in Northern Peru

Uncertainties about the magnitude of bycatch in poorly assessed fisheries impede effective conservation management. In northern Peru, small-scale fisheries (SSF) bycatch negatively impacts marine megafauna populations and the livelihoods of fishers which is further elevated by the under-reporting of incidents. Within the last decade, accounts of entangled humpback whales (HBW) (Megaptera novaeangliae) off the northern coast of Peru have increased, while Eastern Pacific leatherback turtles (LBT) (Dermochelys coriacea) have seen over a 90% decline in nesting populations related in large part to bycatch mortality. By leveraging the experience and knowledge of local fishers, our research objectives were to use a low-cost public participation mapping approach to provide a spatio-temporal assessment of bycatch risk for HBW and LBT off two Peruvian fishing ports. We used an open-source, geographic information systems (GIS) model, the Bycatch Risk Assessment (ByRA), as our platform. Broadly, ByRA identifies high bycatch risk areas by estimating the intersection of fishing areas (i.e., stressors) with species habitat and evaluating the exposure and consequence of possible interaction between the two. ByRA outputs provided risk maps and gear risk percentages categorized as high, medium, and low for the study area and seven subzones for HBW in the austral winter and LBT in the austral summer. Overall, the highest bycatch risk for both species was identified within gillnet fisheries near the coast. Bycatch risk for most gear types decreased with distance from the coast. When we separated the ByRA model by port, our map outputs indicate that bycatch management should be port specific, following seasonal and spatial variations for HBW, and specific fishing gear impacts for HBW and LBT. Combined with direct bycatch mitigation techniques, ByRA can be a supportive and informative tool for addressing specific bycatch threats and marine megafauna conservation goals. ByRA supports a participatory framework offering rapid visual information via risk maps and replicable methods for areas with limited resources and data on fisheries and species habitat.

Charismatic Species as Indicators of Plastic Pollution in the Río de la Plata Estuarine Area, SW Atlantic

Marine plastic pollution is projected to increase globally in the next few decades. This holds true for South America where the number of species that interacts with plastics is increasing. In this study, we explore for the first time the potential of certain charismatic species of marine turtles, mammals and seabirds as indicators of plastic pollution in the Río de la Plata (RdP), one of the largest and most important estuarine areas of the Southwest Atlantic. Through a revision of published studies integrated with unpublished data, we summarize studies on the interaction of charismatic marine species with plastics in the region and evaluate their role as indicators of plastic pollution in the RdP based on aspects of their local ecology and key attributes (i.e., biological/ecological, methodological, and conservation attributes) of indicator species. We found that at least 45 charismatic marine species interact –whether by ingestion or entanglement– with plastics in the region. Eight of these species were selected as potential indicators given their occurrence, probability of sampling and interaction with plastics in the RdP, namely: Chelonia mydas, Caretta caretta, Dermochelys coriacea, Pontoporia blainvillei, Arctocephalus australis, Otaria flavescens, Larus dominicanus, and Spheniscus magellanicus. The species shared some key attributes of indicator species, e.g., they are relatively well studied, but differed in critical aspects such as their home range and mobility. We discuss whether the species’ attributes are strengths or weaknesses according to the available knowledge on their ecology in the RdP, and propose a multispecies indicator of plastic pollution given that those strengths and weaknesses can be compensated among species. Monitoring plastic pollution through a combination of species would enable a better understanding of plastic pollution in this relevant area.

A Baseline Model For Estimating the Risk of Gas Embolism in Sea Turtles During Routine Dives

Sea turtles, like other air-breathing diving vertebrates, commonly experience significant gas embolism (GE) when incidentally caught at depth in fishing gear and brought to the surface. To better understand why sea turtles develop GE, we built a mathematical model to estimate partial pressures of N2 (PN2), O2 (PO2), and CO2 (PCO2) in the major body-compartments of diving loggerheads (Caretta caretta), leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea), and green turtles (Chelonia mydas). This model was adapted from a published model for estimating gas dynamics in marine mammals and penguins. To parameterize the sea turtle model, we used values gleaned from previously published literature and 22 necropsies. Next, we applied this model to data collected from free-roaming individuals of the three study species. Finally, we varied body-condition and cardiac output within the model to see how these factors affected the risk of GE. Our model suggests that cardiac output likely plays a significant role in the modulation of GE, especially in the deeper diving leatherback turtles. This baseline model also indicates that even during routine diving behavior, sea turtles are at high risk of GE. This likely means that turtles have additional behavioral, anatomical, and/or physiologic adaptions that serve to reduce the probability of GE but were not incorporated in this model. Identifying these adaptations and incorporating them into future iterations of this model will further reveal the factors driving GE in sea turtles.

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

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

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

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.