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Journal of Herpetology, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 22–34, 2006 Copyright 2006 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Movement Patterns of Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Cuba and Adjacent Caribbean Waters Inferred from Flipper Tag Recaptures 1 2 3,4 FE´ LIX MONCADA, F. ALBERTO ABREU-GROBOIS, ARTURO MUHLIA-MELO, 5 6 7 7 CATHERINE BELL, SEBASTIAN TRO¨ ENG, KAREN A. BJORNDAL, ALAN B. BOLTEN, 8 9 10 2 ANNE B. MEYLAN, JULIO ZURITA, GEORGINA ESPINOSA, GONZALO NODARSE, 11 12 13 RENE´ MA´ RQUEZ-MILLA´ N, ALLEN FOLEY, AND LLEWELLYN EHRHART 1Centro de Investigaciones Pesqueras, Ministerio de la Industria Pesquera, 5ta Ave y 248, Barlovento, Santa Fe´, Ciudad Habana, Cuba; E-mail: [email protected] 2Unidad Acade´mica Mazatla´n, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologı´a UNAM, Apartado Postal 811, Mazatla´n, Sinaloa Me´xico 82000; E-mail: [email protected] 3Centro de Investigaciones Biolo´gicas del Noroeste. S. C., Mar Bermejo No. 195 Col. Playa Palo de Sta. Rita, La Paz, BCS 23090, Me´xico; E-mail [email protected] 5Department of Environment, P.O. Box 486GT Georgetown, Grand Cayman BWI KY; E-mail: [email protected] 6Caribbean Conservation Corporation, Apdo. Postal 246-2050, San Pedro, San Jose´ Costa Rica; E-mail: [email protected] 7Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, Department of Zoology, P.O Box 118525, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA; [email protected]fl.edu 8Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Marine Research Institute, 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast, Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701-5095, USA; E-mail: anne.meylan@fwc.fl.us 93224 Bryn Mawr Dallas, Texas 75225, USA; E-mail: [email protected] 10Facultad de Biologı´a, Universidad de la Habana. 25 # 455 e/ J e I Vedado, Plaza Ciudad Habana, Cuba; E-mail: [email protected] 11Av. La´zaro Ca´rdenas 312, Col. Morelos, Manzanillo, Colima, Me´xico 28217; E-mail: [email protected] 12Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 6134 Authority Avenue, Building 200, Jacksonville, Florida 32221, USA; E-mail: [email protected] 13Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 162368, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA; E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT.—To study the movement patterns of Green Seaturtle (Chelonia mydas) populations in the Caribbean region using Cuban habitats, tag-recapture data from local (Cuban National Tagging Program 1989– 2002) and international programs (1959–2002) were compiled and compared. Of the 742 turtles tagged in Cuba at fishing areas, nesting beaches and head-start facilities, 5.5% were recaptured, mostly outside of Cuban waters and with a majority of these (76.9%) off the coast of Nicaragua. Green Seaturtles tagged elsewhere and recaptured in Cuba included head-started juveniles from Grand Cayman (45% of the total), Mexico (2.3%), and Florida (1.8%); wild juveniles from the Bahamas (14.1%), Bermuda (5.4%), and Florida (1.5%); and adults from Tortuguero (26%), Florida, USA (1.3%), Mexico (1%), Venezuela (1.3%), and U.S. Virgin Islands (0.3%). Recaptures of tags placed at sites north of Cuba (Bermuda and the Bahamas) clustered in the northeast region of Cuba, whereas those from the south (Grand Cayman) were recaptured in southern areas. Recaptures from Tortuguero tags were concentrated in the southeast and westward regions of Cuba. Turtles from the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, and Bermuda showed the highest recapture rates in Cuban habitats, with 3.2, 1.9, and 1.0% of the total number of tags applied, respectively. These results for a broad range of populations and across life stages underscore the regionwide significance of Cuban sites as critical habitats or migratory corridors. As with most marine turtles, the life history of of the vast expanses of sea that are involved, the Green Seaturtle (Chelonia mydas) includes movements are difficult to monitor. Techniques extensive migrations of hundreds or thousands to study migration have been based largely on of kilometers carrying them through different tag-recapture programs (Carr et al., 1978; Balazs, developmental habitats (Meylan and Meylan, 1983; Mortimer and Carr, 1987; Limpus et al., 1997) and, as adults, between feeding and 1992) and, more recently, on new technology, reproductive areas (Carr et al., 1978). Because such as satellite tracking and genetic analyses that allow precise tracking of turtles along migratory corridors over discrete periods (Balazs 4 Corresponding Author. et al., 1994; Liew et al., 1995; Luschi et al., 1998) or GREEN SEATURTLE FLIPPER TAG RECAPTURES IN CUBA 23 estimates of the contributions by different pop- inscribed with a legend ‘‘Award, return MIP, ulations to mixed stocks at foraging grounds Barlovento, Sta Fe´’’ followed by a prefix (C or (Bass et al., 1998; Lahanas et al., 1998; Bass and CU) and a unique number were applied to Witzell, 2000). the trailing edge of front flippers. Within the Greater Caribbean, the Cuban shelf We measured the straight and curved carapace offers optimal conditions for the various life lengths of tagged animals from the leading edge stages of marine turtles and hosts habitats for five of the nuchal (precentral) scute to the trailing of the region’s six species (Carrillo and Moncada, edge of the marginal scutes (SCLn-t and CCLn-t, 1998). For example, Green Seaturtle nesting to be consistent with Bolten, 1999). When populations with a significant degree of genetic possible, we recorded sex, taking into account differentiation from others in the region (Espi- the size of the animal and the development of nosa et al., 1999), nest at prime areas in the secondary sexual characteristics (length of the Penı´nsula de Guanahacabibes (with more than tail and presence or absence of claws on the 400 nests per year; Ibarra et al., 2002) as well as in front flippers). All individuals without second- the Archipie´lagos de los Jardines de la Reina and ary sexual characteristics and lengths below the de los Canarreos (Moncada and Nodarse, 1998; mean nesting size were classified as ‘‘juveniles’’ Nodarse et al., 2000). In the latter area alone, or immature (imm. in Appendix 1). more than 1000 nests have been reported during We estimated minimal distances traveled 2002–2003 at Cayo Largo del Sur (Nodarse et al., between tagging and recapture (in kilometers) in press). Further, Cuba’s shallow shelf and using Map Source Software V.3.02 (GPS; Garmin, extensive seagrass beds (Buesa, 1974) provide 1999). We then estimated average speed by ideal foraging areas that draw individuals from dividing distance traveled by time elapsed (in a number of the region’s Green Seaturtle stocks days). We did not estimate speed for turtles as evidenced by preliminary tagging results recaptured after periods of .1 yr because of (Moncada, 1992; Moncada et al., 1996, 2002). the increasing possibility that these individuals Despite developments in the methods used to could have remained at the recapture or in- study migrations and the large number of studies termediate sites for extended periods or have focusing on Green Seaturtles in the Caribbean, carried out additional unrecorded movements critical gaps persist that can be addressed using before recapture. To compare the time and traditional flipper tagging studies particularly distance between recaptures between immature when integrating results from regionwide efforts. and adult turtles, we used a Mann-Whitney This paper is the first to compile information U-test because the data were not normally from tagging programs throughout the Carib- distributed. bean Region in an effort to determine movement Data from tags applied in foreign areas and patterns of Green Seaturtles to and from Cuban recaptured in Cuba were not always complete. waters. In addition to migratory pathways, we Tags used for this study contained at least provide data on speeds and distances traveled tagging location, as well as, information on by tagged turtles. tagging date and life stage of turtles at the time of tagging. We estimated rates of recaptures in MATERIALS AND METHODS Cuban habitats for each tagging origin as the Tag and recapture data for this study derive percent of the total number of tags applied at from two sources: the Cuban National Tagging the tagging site that were recaptured in Cuban Program (CNTP), run by the Fisheries Research habitats. These recapture rates are an estimate Center of Cuba (1989–2002), and from turtles of the tendency of turtles to travel to Cuban tagged in other countries (1959–2002) and recap- habitats (Appendix 2). Although this index tured in the Cuban turtle fisheries or in by-catch proved useful for our comparisons, we recognize from other fisheries and sent either through the that variation in effort and the quality of tagging CNTP or directly to the source tagging programs. across tagging programs could impact recapture Tagging of Green Seaturtles for the CNTP took probabilities. Because the total number of tags place within the fishing area of Cuban shelf, placed in specific populations was not always during the closed season (May to July): Nuevitas available, we could not calculate this measure (Punta de Ganado), Las Tunas (Morrillo, Herra- for all tagging origins found in this study. dura, Cobarrubias, and Palanco´n) both in the Homogeneity of development stages and northeast region; Cayos de las Doce Leguas recaptures of geographic distribution by each (southeast region), and at Isla de la Juventud tagging origin among the four study regions (NE, (southwest region); using traditional fishing NW, SE, SW; Fig. 1) of Cuba was tested by Chi- nets (see Carrillo et al., 1998). Females were also square analysis, using the program CHIRXC tagged at nesting beaches: Isla de la Juventud (Zaykin and Pudovkin, 1993), which generates (Guanal, southwest region) during or after eggs probabilities using a Monte Carlo randomization had been laid.

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