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(Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting along the Great Barrier ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii). Journal of Zoo and Reef. Herpetologica 36:265–271. Wildlife Medicine 21:27–35. LIMPUS, C.J. 1985. A study of the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta WITZELL, W.N. 1983. Synopsis of biological data on the caretta, in eastern Australia. Ph.D. Thesis, University of hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata (Linnaeus, 1766), Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. FAO Fisheries Synopsis 137. LIMPUS, C.J. 1991. Puberty and first breeding in Caretta caretta. WOOD, J.R., WOOD, F.E., CRITCHLEY, K.H., WILDT, D.E., AND In: Richardson, T.H., Richardson, J.I., and Donnelly, M. BUSH, M. 1983. Laparoscopy of the green sea turtle, Chelonia (Compilers). Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Workshop on mydas. British Journal of Herpetology 6:323–327. Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. National Oceanic and ZAR, J.H. 1974. Biostatistical Analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Atmospheric Administration Technical Memorandum Nation- Prentice-Hall. al Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Received: 4 January 2005 Center 278, pp. 81–83. Revised and Accepted: 23 June 2006 LIMPUS, C.J. 1992. The hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, in Queensland: population structure within a southern Great Barrier Reef feeding ground. Australian Wildlife Research 19: 489–506. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 2007, 6(2): 274–277 LIMPUS, C.J., COUPER, P.J., AND READ, M.A. 1994. The green Ó 2007 Chelonian Research Foundation turtle, Chelonia mydas, in Queensland: population structure in a warm temperate feeding area. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 35:139–154. Occurrence of Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys LIMPUS, C.J., FLEAY, A., AND BAKER, V. 1984. The flatback turtle, kempii) Along the Coast of the Yucatan Chelonia depressus, in Queensland: reproductive periodicity, philopatry and recruitment. Australian Wildlife Research 11: Peninsula, Mexico 579–587. LIMPUS,C.J.AND LIMPUS, D.J. 2003. The biology of the 1 VICENTE GUZMA´ N-HERNA´ NDEZ ,EDUARDO A. loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta in Western South Pacific 2 3 Ocean foraging areas. In: Bolten, A.B. and Witherington, B.E. CUEVAS-FLORES , AND RENE´ MA´ RQUEZ-MILLA´ N (Eds.). Loggerhead Sea Turtles. Washington: Smithsonian Books, pp. 93–113. 1Area de Protecio´n de Flora Y Fauna Laguna de Te´rminos, LIMPUS, C.J., MILLER, J.D., BAKER, V., AND MCLACHLAN, E. 1983. Comisio´n Nacional de A´reas Naturales Protegidas, Ciudad del The hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata (L.), in North- Carmen, Campeche, Mexico [[email protected]]; Eastern Australia: the Campbell Island rookery. Australian 2Sea Turtle Conservation Program, Pronatura Penı´nsula de Wildlife Research 10:185–197. Yucata´n, AC and Departament of Marine Resources, CINVESTAV- LIMPUS, C.J., MILLER, J.D., PARMENTER, C.J., AND LIMPUS, D.J. IPN, Me´rida, Yucata´n, Me´xico [[email protected]]; 2003. The green turtle, Chelonia mydas, population of Raine 3Convencio´n Interamericana para la Proteccio´n y Conservacio´nde Island and the northern Great Barrier Reef: 1843–2001. Tortugas Marinas-Comite´ Cientı´fico [[email protected]] Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 49:349–440. LIMPUS, C.J., PARMENTER, C.J., AND LIMPUS, D.J. 2002. The status ABSTRACT. – We present a long term record (1984– of the flatback turtle, Natator depressus, in Eastern Australia. In:Mosier,A.,Foley,A.,andBrost,B.(Compilers). 2004) of registered occurrences of Kemp’s ridley Proceedings of the Twentieth Annual Symposium on Sea turtles in the marine zone and nesting beaches of the Turtle Biology and Conservation. National Oceanic and Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Atmospheric Administration Technical Memorandum, Nation- al Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center 477, p. 140–142. The Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii, Garman LIMPUS, C.J. AND REED, P.C. 1985a. The green turtle, Chelonia 1880) is considered one of the most vulnerable sea turtle mydas, in Queensland; a preliminary description of the species worldwide (Ma´rquez 1994). This species is nearly population structure in a coral reef feeding ground. In: Grigg, G., Shine, R., and Ehmann, H. (Eds.). Biology of Australasian restricted to the Gulf of Mexico, having its major nesting Frogs and Reptiles. Sydney, New South Wales: Surrey Beatty beaches in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico (Ma´rquez and Sons, pp. 47–52. 1994). However, certain beaches in Veracruz and LIMPUS, C.J. AND REED, P.D. 1985b. Green sea turtles stranded by Campeche, Mexico, as well as in Texas, Florida, and Cyclone Kathy on the south-western coast of the Gulf of Louisiana in the United States, report regular nesting by Carpentaria. Australian Wildlife Research 12:523–533. these turtles, although nesting is less abundant compared MILLER, J.D. 1994. The hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata: a perspective on the species. In: James, R. (Compiler). to the activity reported in Tamaulipas (Ma´rquez 1994). Proceedings of the Australian Marine Turtle Conservation The Kemp’s ridley population was subjected to an intense Workshop. Canberra, Australia: Australian Nature Conserva- fishery, which brought it almost to extinction, but in the tion Agency, pp. 25–38. mid-1960s, its protection began through Mexican govern- PARMENTER, C.J. AND LIMPUS, C.J. 1995. Female recruitment, ment-sponsored nesting beach conservation on its main reproductive longevity and inferred hatchling survivorship for nesting beach, Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas (Ross et al. the flatback turtle (Natator depressus) at a major eastern Australian rookery. Copeia 2:474–477. 1989; Ma´rquez 1996). Thanks to the tremendous effort ROSTAL, D.C., TOBECK, T.R, OWENS, D.W., AND KRAEMER, D.C. made by the Mexican and American governments, Kemp’s 1990. Ultrasound imaging of ovaries and eggs in Kemp’s ridleys are in a recovery phase. NOTES AND FIELD REPORTS 275

Figure 1. Location of the historic nesting beaches for Kemp’s ridley in Campeche, Mexico.

In Campeche there have been sea turtle conservation Fourteen of these nests were found in the upper high tide efforts on the nesting beaches for more than 25 years. zone and only 1 in the sand dunes zone. Average clutch Nesting by this species has been documented on numerous size recorded in the nests relocated to the hatchery was occasions (Escanero 1987, 1989; Escanero et al. 1988, 111.8 eggs (SD ¼ 25.9, n ¼ 10, range ¼ 65–153 eggs). 1990; Castro et al. 1991; Guzma´n et al. 1993, 1994, 1995; Average clutch size of nests in styrofoam boxes was 106.7 Ma´rquez 1994; Guzma´n 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, eggs (SD ¼ 28.6, n ¼ 4, range ¼ 81–144 eggs). The 1 nest 2004). In addition to nesting beach conservation efforts, left in situ had 147 eggs. Average hatching success for there has been valuable assistance by local fishers in the hatchery nests was higher (mean ¼ 67.1%, SD ¼ 26.7, n ¼ region. Live turtles which have been accidentally captured 10, range ¼ 17.54%–93.02%) than those incubated in during fishing activities are often reported to and/or turned styrofoam boxes (mean ¼ 60.5%, SD ¼ 28.3, n ¼ 4, range in to researchers. Involvement of fishers is a widely used ¼ 28.07%–95.59%); however, there were no significant strategy for determining sea turtle distribution in the differences in hatching success between them (v2 ¼ 1.4, p marine zones, and valuable by-products of this partnership ¼ 0.237). Hatching success of the in situ nest was 63.3%. is the feeling of mutual respect between fishers and The mean incubation time for the nests relocated to the biologists as well as an enhanced sea turtle conservation hatchery was on average 51.6 days (SD ¼ 3.7, n ¼ 9, range ethic in local communities. This paper describes the ¼ 47–56 days), whereas that for eggs kept in styrofoam nesting and capture reports of Kemp’s ridley turtles for 20 boxes was 51.5 days (SD ¼ 3.5, n ¼ 4, range ¼ 48–55 years along the entire coast of Campeche and the north days); contrasting with those left in situ which had a mean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. incubation time of 54 days. These nests contributed 1109 Nesting Records. — During the standardized patrol- hatchlings to the Kemp’s ridley population in the Gulf, ling and surveillance of sea turtle nesting beaches in representing at least 14 different cohorts. This hatchling Campeche, during 20 years (1984–2003), 15 Kemp’s contribution is small compared to the over 500,000 ridley nests have been recorded. These nests were hatchlings being released more recently in Rancho Nuevo registered in 3 different nesting beaches in Campeche: (US–Mexico Program 2004). However, Campeche is 10 on Isla Aguada, 3 on Isla del Carmen, and 2 in considered an important historic nesting and feeding site Sabancuy (Fig. 1). Ten of these 15 nests were relocated to for Kemp’s ridley because it is one of the few beaches, a hatchery, 4 were kept in styrofoam boxes, and only 1 besides its main nesting site at Tamaulipas, where the was maintained in situ; this nest management was species regularly nests, albeit at low levels. Moreover, its necessary because of a high level of risk (predation, marine area harbors postnesting females looking for poaching, and floods) jeopardizing their final success. abundant crustacea, which makes it one of the 3 most 276 CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY, Volume 6, Number 2 — 2007 important feeding areas in the Gulf of Mexico for the from Isla del Carmen to Champoton (Fig. 1), and many species (Pritchard and Ma´rquez 1973; Ma´rquez 1978; recaptures of hawksbills and green turtles (Chelonia Hildebrand 1981; Ma´rquez 1994). The fact that this mydas) have been recorded, none of the above captured nesting activity has been ongoing for more than 10 years Kemp’s ridleys has been recently recaptured. As comple- in this region, more than 1200 km from Rancho Nuevo at mentary records of Kemp’s ridleys on the Yucatan Tamaulipas, corroborates the persistence of this highly Peninsula, which support the importance of the area for vulnerable species, and helps support the idea that this species, Cuevas and Maldonado (2002) reported the Campeche was an important nesting site decades ago, incidental capture of 2 female Kemp’s ridleys in Las prior to spread of overfishing and other human impacts Coloradas along the northeast coast of the Peninsula, (Ma´rquez 1994). which is also considered a foraging site for this species. Its Kemp’s Ridley Nesting Females. — During this study, presence in this region had not been reported for nearly a a total of 3 nesting females were tagged and measured. The decade (Ma´rquez 1994). Both individuals were captured first was tagged in 2000 after she failed to nest at Isla shortly after the nesting season of this species in Aguada, (inconel tag FM360); the second was tagged in Tamaulipas, so Cuevas and Maldonado (2002) suggested 2002 at Isla del Carmen during egg laying (HL200); the that the present occurrence in this marine zone may be the last was tagged in 2003 also at Isla del Carmen (FPF601). result of the Kemp’s ridleys recovery process in the These females had a mean curved carapace length (CCL) southern Gulf of Mexico. In April 2004, a female Kemp’s of 67.2 cm (SD ¼ 3.6, range ¼ 63.0–69.0), a size that is ridley (76.5-cm CCL) was apparently injured by a net and consistent with sexually mature females in Rancho Nuevo, drowned near Holbox Island, Quintana Roo (northeast Tamaulipas (Ma´rquez 1994). Making an estimation using corner of the Peninsula). This report indirectly adds a the Chaloupka and Zug (1997) and Zug et al. (1997) record of the Kemp’s ridleys occurrence again in that polyphasic growth function, we estimate that these females eastern area of the Peninsula. The present information were between 13 and 15 years old. confirms the Campeche coast as a nesting zone for Kemp’s Incidental Capture. — During the cooperative pro- ridley turtles, and the Yucatan Peninsula, as well as the gram with fishermen (2001–2004), we released 4 Kemp’s Terminos Lagoon, as important developmental zones for ridleys that were incidentally captured. The first was a juveniles in the Gulf of Mexico. These records also female captured in front of Punta Xen, Campeche; it was tagged then released in the same area. The second and third underscore the importance of the beaches and shallow were captured in 2004 at Isla del Carmen. One was a waters of the western Yucatan Peninsula for Kemp’s female (63.5-cm CCL) found stranded in a Terminos ridleys, because these beaches are regular nesting sites for lagoon branch, then tagged and released in the zone known the species (Campeche), and an important foraging zone as Bahamitas near Isla del Carmen; the second (no size and migrating route (Campeche and Yucatan) for the data) was accidentally captured with an entangling net, then postnesting females coming from Tamaulipas. also released at Bahamitas. A fourth female (70.0-cm CCL) LITERATURE CITED bearing tag scars in both foreflippers was captured in 2004. The presence of these tag scars suggests that it had been CASTRO, C.L., CABALLERO, C.V., HUERTA, M.P., AND GO´ MEZ,R. tagged before. It was retagged and released in the same site. 1991. Informe final del programa de tortugas marinas de la Records of Kemp’s Ridleys in the Marine Environ- temporada 1991. Unpublished report to Secretaria de Pesca/ ment. — During an in-water study of juvenile hawksbill Instituto Nacional de la Pesca/CRIP-Carmen. turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), 3 Kemp’s ridleys were CHALOUPKA,M.AND ZUG, G.R. 1997. A polyphasic growth captured between March and August, 2002, and released function for the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, after being flipper-tagged. The first turtle (68-cm CCL; 35 Lepidochelys kempi. Fishery Bulletin 95:849–856. kg) was captured near Isla Aguada on March, inside the CUEVAS,E.AND MALDONADO, A. 2002. Nueva presencia de tortuga lora (Lepidochelys kempi), en las costas de la Terminos Lagoon (Fig. 1) at 6-m depth on a muddy Penı´nsula de Yucata´n. Ocea´nides 17:69–72. bottom; the second turtle (59-cm CCL; 25 kg) was ESCANERO-F, G. 1987. Sinopsis sobre las tortugas que anidan en captured in June near Palo Alto, 7 km from Isla Aguada; Campeche. Unpublished report to INP-CRIP-Carmen. the third turtle (68.8-cm CCL) was accidentally captured ESCANERO-F, G. 1989. Informe anual del programa de proteccio´n in Sabancuy in August. Sabancuy, Isla Aguada, and Isla y estudio de las tortugas marinas en Campeche. Temporada del Carmen are linked to the Terminos Lagoon by several 1989. Unpuplished report to INP-CRIP-Carmen. channels; some researchers consider this lagoon as an ESCANERO-F, G., GUZMA´ N-H, V., AND GO´ MEZ, R. 1988. Informe important foraging area for this species (Ma´rquez 1994). anual del programa de proteccio´n y estudio de las tortugas The capture effort made during 4 years for these 7 marinas en Campeche. Temporada 1987. Unpuplished report to INP-CRIP-Carmen. recorded Kemp’s ridleys involved 243 fishing boats ESCANERO-F., G., VIGILANTE, S., AND GO´ MEZ, G. 1990. Informe working the same number of days near the coast, anual del programa de proteccio´n y estudio de las tortugas representing only 0.4% of the annual effort made by these marinas en Isla Aguada-Sabancuy, Campeche, Temporada fishermen in Campeche. Although the program for release 1990. In: Frazier, J., Va´zquez, R., Galicia, E., Dura´n, R., and of incidentally captured sea turtle continues in Campeche Capurro, L. (Eds.), Memorias del IV Taller Regional sobre NOTES AND FIELD REPORTS 277

Programas de Conservacio´n de Tortugas Marinas, Penı´nsula ROSS, J.P., BEAVERS, S., MUNDELL, D., AND AIRTH-KINDREE,M. de Yucata´n. Universidad Auto´noma de Yucata´n, pp. 77–90. 1989. The status of Kemp’s Ridley. Center for Marine GUZMA´ N-H., V. 1996. Resen˜a de la temporada de anidacio´n en Conservation. Washington, DC, 51 pp. Campeche, Me´xico, durante 1996. Doc. Te´c. del Centro Reg. US-MEXICO PROGRAM. 2004. Report on the Mexico/United States de Invest. Pesquera de Cd. del Carmen. No 3. Unpublished of America population restoration project for the Kemp’s report to Programa Nacional de Tortugas Marinas, INP, 9 pp. Ridley turtle, Lepidochelys kempii, on the coast of Tamaulipas GUZMA´ N, V. 1997. Informe te´cnico del Programa de Investigacio´n and Veracruz, Me´xico, 2004. US Fish & Wildlife Service- y Proteccio´n de Tortugas Marinas en Isla Aguada, Campeche. Gladys Porter Zoo-SEMARNAT-SEDUE, 13 pp. Temporada 1997. Doc. Te´c. del Centro Reg. de Invest. ZUG, G.R., KALB, H., AND LUZAR, S.J. 1997. Age and growth in Pesquera de Cd. del Carmen. No 5. Unpublished report to wild Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys kempi from Programa Nacional de Tortugas Marinas, INP, 8 pp. skeletochronological data. Biological Conservation. 80: GUZMA´ N, V. 2000. Evaluacio´n de las poblaciones de tortugas 261–268. marinas de Campeche. Avance y Perspectivas. Informe Received: 4 January 2005 Te´cnico de Investigacio´n 2000/11/ SEMARNAP/INP/ Revised and Accepted: 23 June 2006 DGIPDS/CRIP Carmen. Unpublished report to Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, 23 pp. GUZMA´ N, V. 2001. Evaluacio´n de las poblaciones de tortugas

marinas de Campeche. Sinopsis de la proteccio´n e inves- Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 2007, 6(2): 277–282 tigacio´n 1977–2001, con reporte de investigacio´n 2001/INE/ Ó 2007 Chelonian Research Foundation DGVS/TM-007-Camp. Informe Te´cnico de Investigacio´n 2001/12/ SAGARPA/INP/DGIPDS/ PNTM/CRIP Carmen, Unpublished report to Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, 37 pp. Nesting Ecology and Postnesting Migration GUZMA´ N, V. 2002. Resen˜a de la temporada de anidacio´n de of Sea Turtles on Taipin Tao, tortugas marinas en Campeche, Me´xico; durante el 2002. Con Nansha Archipelago, South China Sea reporte del campamento tortuguero de Isla Aguada en 2002. INE/DGVS/TM-007-Camp. DGVS/SEMARNAT/Delegacio´n 1 Federal en Campeche. Unpublished report to Programa I-JIUNN CHENG Nacional de Tortugas Marinas, 19 pp. GUZMA´ N, V. 2004. Temporada de anidacio´n 2003 de tortugas 1Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, marinas en Isla Aguada, Campeche, Me´xico; y panorama Keelung, Taiwan, 202-24, Republic of China estatal. INE/DGVS/TM-007-Camp. SEMARNAT/DGVS/ [[email protected]] Delegacio´n Federal en Campeche. Unpublished report to Programa Nacional de Tortugas Marinas, 24 pp. ABSTRACT. – The South China Sea is one of the most GUZMA´ N, V., REJO´ N, P.J.C, GO´ MEZ, G.R., AND SILVA, J. 1994. important areas for sea turtles in China. Taipin Tao is Informe final del programa de investigacio´n y proteccio´n de las tortugas marinas del estado de Campeche, Me´xico., the largest island in the Nansha Archipelago and is a Temporada 1993. Panorama regional. Unpublished report to nesting site for green and, possibly hawksbill, turtles. INP-CRIP Carmen, 49 pp. Satellite telemetry studies from the year 2000 till 2003 GUZMA´ N, V., REJO´ N, P.J.C., GO´ MEZ, G.R., AND SILVA, J. 1995. demonstrated that the green turtles nesting at Taipin Informe final del programa de investigacio´n y proteccio´n de Tao are a shared natural resource among the nations las tortugas marinas del estado de Campeche, Me´xico. in the southern South China Sea. Regional and Temporada 1994. Situacio´n actual. Unpublished report to international cooperation overseen by international CRIP Carmen I.N.P.-SEPESCA. Bol. Te´c. No 1/95, 32 pp. GUZMA´ N, V., SA´ NCHEZ-P., J.M., GO´ MEZ, G.R., REJO´ N, P.J.C., AND organizations is desperately needed for the effective SILVA, J. 1993. Informe final del programa tortugas marinas de protection of the green turtles nesting at Taipin Tao. Isla Aguada Carmen, Campeche. Temporada 1992. Una perspectiva regional. Unpublished report to INP-CRIP-Car- men, 82 pp. The South China Sea is host to more than 90% of the HILDEBRAND, H. 1981. A Historical review of the status of sea sea turtle populations in China (Liang et al. 1990). An turtle populations in the Western Gulf of Mexico. In: Bjorndal, understanding of the nesting environment and status of the K. (Ed.). Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Wash- nesting population is crucial to the conservation and ington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, pp. 447–453. management of sea turtles in the region. However, political ´ MARQUEZ-M., R. 1978. Natural reserves for the conservation of instability in the South China Sea, especially the Spratly marine turtle of Mexico. Proc. Fla. Interreg. Conf. on Sea Turtles, July 24:25. Fla. Mar. Pub., 33: 56 p. (Nansha) Archipelagos, complicates the surveys and MA´ RQUEZ-M., R. 1994. Sinopsis de datos biolo´gicos sobre la conservation measures of the sea turtle (Cheng 2000a). tortuga Lora, Lepidochelys kempi (Garman, 1880). FAO The military presence on most islands further prevents Sinopsis sobre la Pesca, No. 152. INP/S152, SAST-Tortuga surveys of the sea turtles, both on the beaches and in the Lora 5.31(07)016.02. Me´xico, 104 pp. sea. Thus, little is known about their present status. MA´ RQUEZ-M., R. 1996. Las tortugas marinas y nuestro tiempo. Taipin Tao has been occupied by the Marines from Fondo de Cultura Econo´mica/ Secretarı´a de Educacio´n Pu´blica/ the Republic of China for more than 50 years. Surprisingly Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologı´a. Me´xico DF, 197 pp. PRITCHARD, P.C.H. AND MA´ RQUEZ, M. 1973. Kemp’s Ridley or the little was known about the ecology of this island and the Atlantic Ridley,Lepidochelys kempi. IUCN Monographs, nearshore waters. In 1994, a 5-day comprehensive Marine Turtle Series, 230 pp. ecological survey was carried out to investigate the coral