Issue Number 103. January 2004.
New harness for use on flatback turtles (see Sperling & Guinea pp. 11-13).
IN THIS ISSUE:
Articles: Behavior of Green Sea Turtles in the Presence and Absence of Recreational Snorkellers. Turtle Strandings in the Southern Eritrean Red Sea. First Confirmed Occurrence of Loggerhead Turtles in Peru. A Harness for Attachment of Satellite Transmitters on Flatback Turtles.
Notes: Nesting of the Hawksbill Turtle in Shidvar Island, Hormozgan Province, Iran.
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© Marine Turtle Newsletter Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page Behavior of Green Sea Turtles in the Presence and Absence of Recreational Snorkellers
Dwayne Meadows Pacific Whale Foundation, 300 Maalaea Road, Suite 211, Maalaea, HI 96793 USA. Current address: 789 Mahealani Place, Kihei, HI, 96753 USA (E-mail: [email protected]).
There has been a large increase in in-water tourism Green sea turtles in Hawaii were exploited in the focused on sea turtles (Balazs 1996), especially in areas past, by natives and visitors to the island (Balazs 1980), like Hawaii where sea turtle numbers have increased and there continues to be cases of turtles being captured greatly (Balazs 1998). Research and management even today. Protection was made official under federal regulations and guidelines for human-sea turtle law in 1979. Recovery of the population in the Hawaiian interactions are well established for nesting beach and Islands has been noted over 22 plus years of nest egg laying situations (Hirth 1997). However, federal monitoring (Balazs 1998; Balazs pers. comm.). There regulations in the United States for in-water interactions have been some unusual changes in green turtle do not exist beyond the general prohibitions against take behavior in Hawaii that have not been generally noted and harassment in the Endangered Species Act and elsewhere that may influence the results of this study. recommendations to leave them an escape route For example, Balazs (1996) reported shifts in feeding (NOAA Wildlife Viewing Guidelines: http://www.nmfs. to daytime in some areas, and more tolerance to humans noaa.gov/prot_res/MMWatch/MMViewing.html). There in the water nearby, probably as a result of habituation has also been little study of human-sea turtle interactions to the more frequent interactions with people during in the wild (Booth & Peters 1972; Hirth 1997). the day. I studied human-sea turtle interactions using focal- The research was conducted between April 2002 animal activity budget observations in the presence or and April 2003 along the lee coast of the island of Maui, absence of recreational snorkellers to examine effects Hawaii. Local tour operators include small and large of such interactions on green sea turtle (Chelonia boats, kayak tours, and shore-based snorkeling tours mydas) behavior. Behavior of the turtles was with 10 to 150 participants. SCUBA tours can also focus characterized and used in this assessment. Data were on sea turtles, but interactions with divers are not also gathered to document the normal approach considered here. There are a number of locations along distances and behaviors of recreational snorkellers and the 50 km or so of coastline where green sea turtles the distances at which sea turtles made obvious are abundant and accessible enough to be targeted for reactions to the snorkellers. recreational snorkeling. Most sites typically have water depth of 2-10 m with moderate to high coral coverage. Most tour boats spend approximately one hour at the turtle location. I focused on larger tour boats as a source of snorkellers as their schedules were predictable. It is possible the results of this study could be biased relative to effects of snorkellers from smaller boats or shore but this is unlikely as those sources of snorkellers are active in the same general areas and with the same turtles as those from larger boats. Additional observations of snorkellers from these other sources were not noticeably different (Meadows unpublished data). I conducted surveys at all tour sites I could access from shore and observations took place between 0730 and 1130 in the morning, the times when most snorkeller- turtle interactions occur in this area. Figure 1. Distance of first obvious reaction of turtles to We conducted 5 min focal-animal activity budget snorkeller presence. Note: some turtles exhibited no response to snorkellers up to the closest distance of approach: 13 observations of individual turtles with or without turtles showed no reaction at 1 m from person, 10 at 2 m, 9 at recreational snorkellers present. Researchers also 3 m, 5 at 4 m, and 11 at greater than 5 m. snorkelled and stayed at least 5 m from the focal turtle.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 1 I recorded the duration (to nearest 5 sec) for the following five mutually exclusive behavior categories: swimming in the water column, being at the surface (generally to breathe), being inactive on the sea bed, actively moving about on the bottom, and feeding. In addition to the individual behavior categories, the sum of all bouts of all behavior categories observed during the 5 min period was used to examine whether there was a general effect on behavioral transitions. The amount of time a turtle was being cleaned by fishes, and the number of breaths and bouts of breathing (other behaviors that might be affected by human presence), were recorded separately. I also recorded the number of chases and touching of the turtle by the snorkellers. Data on turtle size (estimated to ± 5cm straight carapace length), sex (for turtles large enough to be sexed by tail length), and fibropapilloma (FP) tumor intensity (Balazs 1991) were recorded as possible covariates. However, Figure 2. Mean time (%) for turtles in various behaviors in only 18 turtles could be sexed and 74 of 105 had no the presence (solid bar) and absence (open bar) of recreational observable tumors. Thus, sample sizes for covariate snorkellers. All behavior categories do not differ significantly analysis were not large enough to provide any meaningful with snorkeller presence (all Kruskal-Wallis H < 3.0, p > 0.05). Note: Total percentages for first five categories add to 100%, power. Average depth of water, average distance of but cleaning was not mutually exclusive from other behaviors snorkellers to the turtle, closest approach distance of and thus all six behaviors do not sum to 100%. snorkellers to turtle, and distance of first obvious reaction of turtle to snorkeller (usually a rapid change in direction or activity) were estimated to ± 0.5m. The proportion of time turtles spent in various A total of 69 activity budgets in the absence of behaviors did not differ in the presence or absence of snorkellers and 36 in the presence of snorkellers were snorkellers (Figure 2). The proportion of time at the gathered. No turtles were known to have been surveyed surface in this study (5%) was similar to the results of more than one time. Data were analyzed with one-way Nelson (1994) who used radio/sonic tags, suggesting ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests, depending on whether the short behavioral observation period did not affect parametric test assumptions could be met, using Minitab reliability of this type of observation. The number of 10.2. Data and error bars are presented as mean ± one bouts of all behavior categories except being inactive standard deviation, range. on the sea bed, increased in the presence of recreational An average of 5.8 (±5.3, 0-20) recreational snorkellers, but this was only significant for being at snorkellers were watching turtles at the beginning of a the surface and total behavioral bouts overall (Fig. 3). focal-animal observation and 2.7 (± 2.7, 0-12) were The number of breaths taken (with snorkellers: 1.2 ± watching at the end of the 5 minutes. Average turtle 1.8, 0 - 6; without snorkellers: 1.0 ± 2.2, 0 – 9) per 5 size observed was 47 cm (± 9.5, 30 - 75). The average min activity budget did not differ with snorkeller distance snorkellers were away from the sea turtles presence (Kruskal-Wallis H = 1.6, p = 0.2). Sex, size, was 5.0 m (± 1.4, 2 - 8), with the average closest and FP intensity did not affect behavior (all H < 1.6, p > approach distance being 1.9 m (± 1.4, 0.25 - 5). The 0.20), but as previously mentioned, sample size was number of chases (with or without touching) averaged very low. 0.31 (± 0.98, 0 - 5) per 5 min period. The distance of Five minutes is a relatively short time for behavioral first reaction for almost all turtles was less than 3 m observations, but was necessitated by the short duration (Figure 1). Average depth (with snorkellers: 5.5 m ± of most snorkeller-turtle interactions. I also recorded 0.7, 4 - 7; without snorkellers: 5.8 m ± 1.8, 3 - 10) and activity budgets for 15 min time periods for turtles in turtle size (with snorkellers: 47.6 cm ± 8.4, 30 - 65; the absence of recreational snorkellers and compared without snorkellers: 47.0 cm ± 10.0, 30 – 75) did not those results to the 5 min budgets in the absence of differ between turtles observed in the presence or snorkellers. There were no significant differences
absence of recreational snorkellers (F1,103= 1.2, p = 0.27; between the 5 min and 15 min activity budgets
F1,103 = 0.1, p = 0.73, respectively). (Meadows unpublished data), suggesting the data are Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 2 the duration of individual snorkeller interactions with turtles using focal-human observations to better understand that aspect of these interactions. While individual interactions with turtles were short, it is possible for single turtles to be sequentially harassed by multiple snorkellers throughout the day as many tour boats and tourists visit many sites at all times of day. Studies on other species of sea turtle and whether there are stress hormone or other physiological responses to the presence of snorkellers would also be desirable. Possible effects of the presence of a researcher could not be eliminated and may bias the data. Observations made via remotely operated video or other technology might be used to address this issue, but these have their own biases as well. Nevertheless, overall the relatively small effects found here show that consumptive uses are a much greater threat to sea turtle populations. Figure 3. Mean number of bouts of each behavior type in The results of this study should be examined carefully the 5 min activity budgets in the presence (solid bar) and by resource managers. These results suggest the absence (open bar) of recreational snorkellers. The “total” possibility that sea turtles may be negatively affected category includes all behaviors to the left of that category by snorkellers. As all sea turtles in the USA are since cleaning and breathing were not mutually exclusive of the other behaviors. Significant differences between turtles protected from harassment, it is suggested that with recreational snorkellers present vs absent are indicated regulation and enforcement action incorporating by an * (at surface: H = 3.8, p < 0.05; total: H = 4.0, p < 0.05). approach distance rules on the order of 2 to 5 m (with a conservative buffer on at the large end of this range) representative of turtle behavior over longer time spans. to sea turtles should be implemented by management The results of this study provide the first quantitative agencies. It is unlikely that studies could feasibly be evidence on the interaction between snorkellers and done showing long-term effects of snorkellers on growth sea turtles. Snorkellers were shown to make regular or reproduction given the long lifespans of these animals. close approaches towards turtles at a rate of 4 per hour Thus, the changes I have shown in frequency of (extrapolating from the rate during the 5 min activity behavior as a result of presence of snorkellers are likely budget results of focal animal observations). The results to be the most relevant evidence available. also show that a small number of recreational snorkellers are associated with an increase of over 30% Acknowledgements: Julia Burrows, Cheryl Cross, Cory in total bouts of behavior. This is likely a consequence Hudson, Moka Meadows and Maureen Quigley assisted with of the turtles switching from one behavior to another field or lab portions of the study. George Balazs provided as a result of attempts by snorkellers to chase, touch, useful advice during the design of the study. Funding was and/or ride them. Whether these more frequent changes provided by the Pacific Whale Foundation. This is publication 2003-03 of the Pacific Whale Foundation. in behavior result in increased energy expenditure or other costs remains to be determined. Since turtles and BALAZS, G.H. 1980. Synopsis of biological data on the green snorkellers use the same sites daily, if such changes in turtle in the Hawaiian Islands. NOAA Technical behavior are found to be energetically expensive, Memorandum, NMFS, Honolulu, Hawaii, 141 pp. potential negative effects on growth or fecundity could occur. Tagging or photo-identification of turtles in areas BALAZS, G.H. 1991. Current status of fibropapillomas in the of high tourism use could be valuable to address this Hawaiian green turtle, Chelonia mydas. In: G.H. Balazs & S.G. Pooley (eds.). Research Plan for Marine Turtle issue. These results make clear that the common notion Fibropapilloma. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS- of non-consumptive exploitation as a solution to the SWFSC-156. pp. 47-57. conservation threat to sea turtles is somewhat simplistic. It is not clear how well the results of this study can BALAZS, G.H. 1996. Behavioral changes within the recovering be extrapolated to other areas given the previously Hawaiian green turtle population. In: J.A. Keinath, D.E. mentioned differences in behavior of Hawaiian green Barnard, J.A. Musick, & B.A. Bell (compilers). th turtles (Balazs 1996). Future studies could also address Proceedings of the 15 Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 3 Biology and Conservation. NOAA Technical HIRTH, H.F. 1997. Synopsis of the biological data on the Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-387. pp. 16-20. green turtle Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus 1758). U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 97(1). BALAZS, G.H. 1998. Sea Turtles, 3rd edition. In: S.P. Juvick & J.O. Juvick (eds.). Atlas of Hawaii. University of Hawaii NELSON, D.A. 1994. Preliminary assessment of juvenile green Press, Honolulu, HI. p. 115 sea turtle behavior in the Trident submarine basin Patrick AFB, Florida. In: K.A. Bjorndal, A.B. Bolten, D.A. Johnson, BOOTH, J. & J.A. PETERS. 1972. Behavioural studies in the & P.J. Eliazar (compilers). Proceedings of the 14th Annual green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the sea. Animal Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Behaviour 20:808-812. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-351. pp. 104-108.
Turtle Strandings in the Southern Eritrean Red Sea
S.A. Howe, B. Asfaha & J.M. Kemp Eritrea’s Coastal, Marine & Island Biodiversity Conservation Project (UNDP/GEF), Ministry of Fisheries, P.O. Box 58, Massawa, Eritrea (E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected])
Marine turtle populations are under increasing beaches near some smaller coastal villages (Figure 1) pressure worldwide due to pollution, over-harvesting in the ERS. A team of marine biologists from the ECMIB of eggs and adults, destruction of nesting sites by coastal Project, Ministry of Fisheries and University of Asmara development, and accidental killing in the nets of fishing conducted a one week field trip to Assab to investigate vessels. Eritrea is unusually fortunate, in that the long the reports. The major objective of the field trip was to struggle for independence resulted in over 20 years of investigate the cause of death of the turtles, but also to extremely low levels of human impact on turtles and record any evidence of turtle exploitation by fishing their habitats in the coastal, marine and island (CMI) communities. The team contacted the local fishermen areas. The CMI environment of Eritrea is thus generally and military servicemen who made the original reports, in very good condition. With independence a decade and visited island and coastal sites where turtles were ago the development of Eritrea’s coast and seas began, reported to have washed ashore. and turtles are now threatened at the local and national A total of 16 decomposing turtle carcasses were levels by activities including fisheries, coastal recorded during the field trip, of which 12 were identified development, tourism, and oil exploration. as green turtles with curved carapace lengths (CCL) Little is currently known about the status of turtle between 64 cm and 104 cm (Figure 2). Six were found populations in the Eritrean Red Sea (ERS), although on Fatuma Island near Assab, two at Bihta beach, near available evidence indicates that it is a turtle resource Beilul, and four on Rachmat peninsula, near Barasole of global significance (Hillman & Gebremariam 1995). (see Figure 1). Four other carcasses could not be At the moment, green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and identified. As all the turtles were decomposing, only hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are carapace measurements were taken. relatively common in the ERS. Eritrea’s Coastal, Island Local fishermen reported that over 250 dead turtles and Marine Biodiversity (ECMIB) Conservation Project were washed ashore during a one-month period from has proposed a turtle conservation programme (initially early March to early April 2003. The number of turtles in the form of a local pilot project in the Fatuma Island stranded may represent only approximately a quarter group near the port city of Assab). This will be a of the actual mortalities (Murphy & Hopkins-Murphy, nationally and regionally significant development, and 1989). The actual number of turtles killed may therefore will be an important addition to other proposed turtle be considerably higher. As the Eritrean coastline is so conservation initiatives elsewhere in the Red Sea and sparsely inhabited, the reported strandings may Gulf of Aden region. represent an even smaller fraction of the total actual mortalities. Furthermore, in the absence of strong Stranding Event onshore winds many floating carcasses may not have In April 2003, the ECMIB Project received a report been washed onto the beach (Musick pers. comm.). from the Ministry of Fisheries in Assab of large numbers Reports from the fishermen interviewed indicated of dead turtles stranded on islands near Assab and on that dead turtles were being carried on currents from
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 4 the south, with the highest concentration of strandings be that hawksbill turtles were unaffected because the occurring near Assab. The fatalities could, therefore, trawling took place close to nesting beaches or in areas have occurred in Eritrean waters to the south of Assab, where green turtles forage, particularly seagrass beds, or in Djiboutian or Yemeni waters. The turtle carcasses but hawksbill turtles typically do not. found were too decomposed for necropsies to be Little is known about breeding seasons and migration performed, so it was not possible to establish patterns of turtles in the ERS, although there appears unequivocally the cause of death although it is suspected to be separation of green and hawksbill nesting periods that the mortalities are a result of fishery related (Hillman & Gebremariam, 1995). If trawling takes place activities. Although, few of the carcasses had any signs near nesting beaches during nesting season, it can result of external damage, some were missing their heads. in the death of many turtles, with significant impact upon Local anecdotes suggest that killing of turtles by crushing the important reproductive portion of the population. It their heads is a common practice among trawler crews is worthy of note that the Ministry of Fisheries in Assab of some nationalities operating in the Gulf of Aden area, recently warned trawlers in the Assab area about fishing and this may have resulted in rapid loss of the head too close to shore. There is presently little enforceable through decomposition. Dead turtles with no apparent environmental legislation in Eritrea and insufficient signs of damage are quite likely to be the victims of capacity for enforcement of the existing laws. One of trawling (Donnelly pers. comm.). When trawlers the roles of the ECMIB Project is to help rectify this operate near shore, more strandings of dead turtles tend situation. to occur, because turtles congregate when they forage Turtle Consumption near to the shore, and/or occupy near-shore waters Evidence of turtle harvesting by local (artisanal) during the nesting season. fishermen was also observed. The African shore of Although hawksbill turtles are common in the area, the Bab el Mandeb from northwest Somaliland to only green turtles appear to have been affected during southern Eritrea is the only area of the Red Sea and the stranding event. It is possible that if trawling activities Gulf of Aden where killing of live turtles is a major were responsible for all or most of the fatalities, it may issue. Five green turtle carapaces were found at a
Figure 1. Map of Assab and surrounding area where turtle mortalities were reported.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 5 Figure 2. Curved Carapace Length (CCL) distribution of the Figure 3. Curved Carapace Length (CCL) distribution of 40 green turtles (Chelonia mydas) found after the strandings green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and 5 hawksbill turtles near Assab. (Eretmochelys imbricata) killed by local fishermen. Measurements were made on carapaces found at fishing camps, one at Senabur Island and Gahro, both near Assab.
fishermen’s camp on Senabur Island, near Assab. The remains of at least 62 turtles were found at a fishing 5. Only green turtle carcasses were found. This camp at Gahro, south of Assab. Of these, 45 could be suggests that, if trawlers were responsible, they were identified, including 35 green turtles and 10 hawksbill operating close inshore in green turtle foraging turtles. All had been deliberately killed by the fishermen grounds and/or near nesting beaches during the for consumption. Curved carapace length nesting season. measurements on turtles that could be identified showed that some large adult green turtles were caught, while 6. The widespread occurrence of large numbers of turtle the hawksbill turtles that were caught were mostly sub- remains at fishing villages and camps in southern adults (Figure 3). Eritrea indicates that there is a need for greater awareness of sustainable management and Conclusions & Recommendations conservation of turtle populations in Eritrea. Based on the information collected on the fieldtrip the following conclusions were reached: Accordingly the following recommendations have been made: 1. The cause of the death of the turtles stranded during the mass mortality event could not be determined 1. A comprehensive turtle conservation and monitoring conclusively, due to the advanced state of Pilot Project is already proposed for the Fatuma decomposition of the carcasses. Island group, as part of the ECMIB Project, Habitats and Species Conservation component. The need for 2. The total number of turtles that perished was probably such a programme is emphasised by the recent considerably higher than the number of carcasses stranding event, and by evidence of turtle harvesting actually found. observed during the April field visit.
3. The general lack of external injuries indicates that 2. Prompt reporting of future turtle mass mortalities to the mass mortality was mostly likely to have been the Ministry of Fisheries in Massawa, and the due to incidental catching by trawlers. ECMIB Project, may provide an opportunity to conduct necropsies, and to determine with more 4. The turtles washed up came from the south, indicating certainty the cause of death. that they probably died to the south of Assab in Eritrean, Djiboutian or Yemeni waters.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 6 3. Surveillance and enforcement need to be increased thank members of the CTURTLE e-mail list for helpful and strong penalties imposed to discourage trawling contributions. We are also grateful to two anonymous referees too close to shore where turtles are more likely to whose input improved the manuscript. be caught. HILLMAN, J.C. & T. GEBREMARIAM. 1995. The status of marine turtle conservation in Eritrea. Resources and Acknowledgements: We thank the branch head of the Environment Division. Ministry of Marine Resources, Ministry of Fisheries in Assab, Hassen Kerif, for reporting Massawa. 16 pp. the turtle moralities to the ECMIB Project and for assisting MURPHY, T.M. & S.R. HOPKINS-MURPHY. 1989. Sea turtle the team in contacting the local fishermen and military and shrimp fishing interactions: a summary and critique of servicemen who made the original reports, and locating sites relevant information. Center for Marine Conservation. where turtles had been washed ashore. We would like to Washington, D.C. 52 pp.
First Confirmed Occurrence of Loggerhead Turtles in Peru
Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto1, Peter H. Dutton2, Jeffrey Mangel1,3 & Diana Vega1 1Asociacion Pro Delphinus, Octavio Bernal 572-5. Lima 11. Peru.( Email: [email protected]) 2NOAA-Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037. USA 3 Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28512. USA
The loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, occurs legislation in Peru (D.S. No.026-2001-PE), despite being globally in tropical and subtropical waters and in the listed as “vulnerable” by an agricultural decree (DS East Pacific ranges from Alaska to Chile (Carr 1952; No. 013-99-AG). Frazier (1979; 1981) and Hays-Brown Frazier 1981; Marquez 1990). Records from Pacific & Brown (1982) suggested that the species is likely to coasts of the USA and Mexico are well documented occur along the South Peruvian coast since they were (Cliffton et al. 1982; Frazier 1981; Marquez 1969; reported to be ‘relatively common’ in northern Chile Nichols et al. 2000, Seminoff et al. in press; Shaw (Chandler 1991; Donoso-Barros 1966; see also Frazier 1947), however reports from Pacific coasts of Central & Salas 1984). and South America are largely anecdotal. Although In 1993 we initiated annual surveys to estimate sea loggerheads are mentioned as ‘common’ in Panama turtle bycatch mortality in artisanal fisheries along the (Cornelius 1982) and Colombia (Green & Ortiz 1982), coast of central Peru. However, after monitoring for these accounts are most likely erroneous due to seven years we did not encounter any evidence of confusion caused by the usage of the spanish word loggerheads at Pucusana and Chimbote (Figure 1) “caguama”, which in the Caribbean is the name for (Alfaro-Shigueto et al. 2002). Recent confirmed reports loggerheads, but in some Pacific countries is also the of loggerheads captured by longline vessels off northern word used for sea turtles in general (Frazier 1985). Little Chile (Donoso et al. 2000) prompted us to expand our information is available on loggerheads along the Pacific study and focus attention on the artisanal fisheries coast from Costa Rica to Guatemala (Cornelius 1982). operating in southern Peru as part of an ongoing, region- In the southeastern Pacific, documentation of wide program to evaluate incidental take of sea turtles loggerhead occurrence south of Colombia is scarce in different fisheries (Alfaro-Shigueto et al. in press a (Frazier 1981), with no reports of the species along the & b; Pro Delphinus 2002). Here we report positive Ecuador mainland. Although several reports describe identification of loggerhead turtles in waters off the coast the presence of loggerheads in Peru (Aranda & of Peru that we have confirmed to date, as well as Chandler 1989; Grimwood & Whitmore 1978 cited in other evidence of the species’ presence. Frazier 1981; Koepcke 1961) none of these accounts From June 2001 to April 2003, we monitored the are substantiated, and many are likely to have been artisanal fisheries operating from eight ports along the misidentifications (Frazier 1985). As a result this species Peruvian coast, including Ilo and Morro Sama in the has not been included among the species of sea turtles south (see map, Figure 1). With the help of experienced that are protected under recent national fisheries observers, who monitored ports for 20-22 days each
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 7 month, we obtained information on the date and location 2001). Field identifications were later confirmed by of capture, photographed captured turtles, measured photographs and/or carapaces salvaged from dead and tagged turtles and collected tissue samples for animals and the results of genetic analysis of genetic analysis. In addition, carapaces were recovered mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences from slaughtered animals during our port surveys; (Dutton et al. 1996) (Table 1). Other species were also despite being illegal, sea turtle bycatch is commonly found, including green turtles (Chelonia mydas), olive used for human consumption (Alfaro-Shigueto & Van ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea), leatherbacks Waerebeek 2001). (Dermochelys coriacea), and hawksbills To date we have confirmed a total of 25 loggerheads, (Eretmochelys imbricata). All the loggerheads were including 23 recorded when they were captured at sea, recorded at the two southernmost ports of Ilo (17°39’S, and two that were identified from carapaces salvaged 71°21’W) and Morro Sama (17°59’S, 70°53’W) in Ilo and Moro Sama (Table 1). One of these carapaces (Figure 1). The loggerheads were primarily caught in was found during a reconnaissance visit to Moro Sama artisanal vessels using longlines that target dolphin fish in December 2000 (Table 1). Species were identified (Coryphaena hippurus), blue shark (Prionace based upon distinguishing external morphology, including: glauca), mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), carapace shape and coloration, number of lateral scutes, hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena), and thresher position of first lateral with respect to the nuchal scute, shark (Alopias vulpinus). Mean (± 1 standard deviation) and head shape and size (Eckert et al. 1999; Wyneken carapace measurements (n=15) were 54.3 ± 11.1 cm
Figure 1. Locations of 11 of the loggerheads captured at sea by artisanal fishing boats operating from the ports of Moro Sama and Ilo in southern Peru. The additional ports that were monitored are indicated. The edge of the continental shelf is shown by the dotted lines.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 8 (range = 26.0 - 65.5cm) curved carapace length (CCL long as they could remember. notch-to-tip), and 53.3 ± 10.8 cm (range = 27.0 - These observations indicate possible widespread 64.5cm) curved carapace width (CCW) (Table 1). presence of loggerheads off southern Peru. It is possible Locations of capture sites ranged from 29 to 380 that loggerheads have been misidentified as green turtles nautical miles from shore, which encompass Peru’s EEZ or olive ridleys (Frazier pers. comm.), and therefore as well as international waters off southern Peru and largely overlooked in the past by researchers. northern Chile (Figure 1). Preliminary results of genetic analysis from three of These are the first confirmed reports of loggerheads the specimens collected confirm them to be loggerheads in Peruvian waters. In addition, a total of 63 other originating from Australian nesting stocks, and additional loggerheads were recorded by fishermen during this analysis to confirm species identification and stock origin same period. Although these additional observations of the other samples is underway (Dutton et al. cannot be substantiated by photographs, genetic unpublished). Ongoing studies in Chile (see Donoso et analysis, or other means, they were based on al. 2000) and our observations suggest the foraging identifications by onboard observers, trained to use sea areas of loggerhead nesting stocks in the South Pacific turtle identification keys, and we believe them to be extend into the waters off southern Peru and northern largely accurate. In general, fishermen in Ilo and Moro Chile. The results also indicate that loggerheads may Sama appeared to be familiar with the loggerhead, and be more common in the Southeast Pacific than told us they had seen them in the past, going back as previously thought.
DATE Port CCL(cm) CCW(cm) Field ID Photo Carapace mtDNA 12/06/00 SAMA Y 02/02/02 SAMA Y Y 02/14/02 SAMA Y 02/14/02 SAMA Y 05/04/02 SAMA 47.2 45.7 Y Y Y Y 06/02/02 SAMA 64.7 63.0 Y Y Y Y 06/02/02 SAMA 53.9 51.6 Y Y Y Y 06/03/02 SAMA Y Y 06/15/02 SAMA Y Y 03/12/03 ILO Y Y 03/15/03 ILO Y 03/16/03 ILO Y Y 03/17/03 ILO 26.0 27.0 Y Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 53.0 55.0 Y Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 65.5 60.5 Y Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 63.1 63.8 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 65.1 64.5 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 48.8 45.7 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 63.9 63.2 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 40.0 40.3 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 51.6 50.1 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 50.3 47.5 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 58.4 58.0 Y Y 03/18/03 ILO 63.5 63.1 Y Y 05/20/03 ILO Y Table 1. Confirmed records of loggerheads encountered in waters off the coast of Peru, showing port of departure, date of capture, curved carapace length (CCL) and curved carapace width (CCW) and indicating whether specimens were identified by direct observation (Field ID), photograph, from collected carapace and/or by genetic analysis (mtDNA).
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 9 The results presented here suggest the need to revise CARR, A. 1952. Handbook of turtles. Ithaca, New York: national legislation to provide loggerheads the same Cornell University Press. protection as other sea turtle species occurring in CHANDLER, M. 1991. New records of marine turtles in Chile. Peruvian waters and emphasize the need to develop Marine Turtle Newsletter 52:8-11. conservation measures at local, regional and CLIFFTON, K., D.O. CORNEJO & R. FELGER. 1982. Sea international levels. Our ongoing research, which turtles of the Pacific Coast of Mexico. In: K.A. Bjorndal, includes genetic and telemetry studies and an editor. Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. international collaboration to evaluate fishery bycatch, Institution Press. Washington, D.C. pp. 199-210. will provide further insights to the population status, life CORNELIUS, S.E. 1982. Status of sea turtles along the Pacific history and foraging ecology of loggerheads in the coast of Middle America. In: K.A. Bjorndal, editor. Southeast Pacific. Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Institution Press. Washington, D.C. pp. 211-220. Ackowledgements: We warmly thank the fishermen of the DONOSO, M., P. DUTTON, R. SERRA & J.L. BRITO- ports of Ilo and Morro Sama. Also biologist Roger Ayerbe MONTERO. 2000. Sea turtles found in waters off Chile. for his generous support during the project, and Robin In: H.J. Kalb and T. Wibbels, compilers. Proceedings of LeRoux and Erin LaCasella for laboratory assistance. We the Nineteenth Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle thank Jeffrey Seminoff, Jack Frazier and Nancy FitzSimmons Biology and Conservation. NOAA Technical for helpful review of an earlier manuscript. Funding and Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-443, pp. 218-219. logistical support was provided by the National Fish and DUTTON, P.H., S.K. DAVIS, T. GUERRA & D. OWENS. 1996. Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Molecular phylogeny for marine turtles based on Service (NOAA-Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science sequences of the ND4-Leucine tRNA and control region Center), Columbus Zoo, Idea Wild, the Panaphil Foundation, of mitochondrial DNA. Molecular Phylogenetics & el Instituto del Mar del Peru (IMARPE) and el Instituto Evolution 5: 511-521. Nacional de Recursos Naturales (INRENA). Research was ECKERT K.L., K.A. BJORNDAL, F.A. ABREU-GROBOIS & carried out in accordance with national and international law M. DONELLY (Editors). 1999. Research and Management under permits for sampling and CITES export respectively Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/ 026-2002-INRENA-DGFFS-DCB 015-2002-INRENA-J-DGFFS- SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Publication No.4. DCB and 01US844694/9. FRAZIER, J & SALAS. 1984. Tortugas Marinas en Chile. Boletin del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de ALFARO-SHIGUETO J., M-F VAN BRESSEM, D. MONTES, Santiago, Chile 39: 63-73. K. ONTON, D. VEGA & K. VAN WAEREBEEK. 2002. FRAZIER, J. 1979. Marine Turtles in Peru. Typescript, Turtle mortality in fisheries off Peru. Proceedings of the Chelonia Institute, Washington D.C. 237 pp. Twentieth Annual Symposium on Sea Turtles Biology and Conservation, Orlando, Florida. NOAA Technical FRAZIER, J. 1981. The Status of Marine Turtles in the East Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-477, pp. 86-88. Pacific. Department of Zoological Research, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution. Washington ALFARO-SHIGUETO J., J. ALAVA, D. MONTES, K. ONTON D.C. & M-F VAN BRESSEM. In press a. Incidental fisheries of sea turtles in the southeast Pacific. Proceedings of FRAZIER, J. 1985. Misidentification of marine turtles: Caretta the Twenty-first Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and caretta and Lepidochelys olivacea in the East Pacific. Conservation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 2001. Journal of Herpetology 19(1): 1-11. NOAA Technical Memorandum. GREEN, D. & F. ORTIZ-CRESPO. 1982. Status of Sea Turtle ALFARO-SHIGUETO J., J. MANGEL, R. AYERBE & P.H. Populations in the Central Eastern Pacific. In: K.A. DUTTON. In press b. Update information of loggerhead Bjorndal, editor. Biology and Conservation of Sea turtles in the Southeast Pacific. Proceedings of the Turtles. Institution Press. Washington, D.C. pp. 221-234. Twenty third Annual Symposium on Sea Turtles Biology HAYS-BROWN, C. & W. BROWN. 1982. Status of Sea Turtles and Conservation, April 2003, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. in the Southeastern Pacific: Emphasis on Peru. In: K.A. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC. Bjorndal, editor. Biology and Conservation of Sea ALFARO-SHIGUETO, J & K.VAN WAEREBEEK. 2001. Turtles. Institution Press. Washington, D.C. pp. 235-240. Drowning in the sea of silence: the bushmeat concept KOEPCKE, H. 1961. Synökologischen Studien an der Westeite applied for marine fauna. In Zoos and Aquariums: der Peruanischen Anden, Bonner geographische Committing to Conservation. Brevard Zoo. 28th Abhandlungen, Bonn, 321 pp. November –2thDecember, 2001. Orlando, Florida. MÁRQUEZ , R. 1990. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 11: Sea ARANDA, C. & M. CHANDLER. 1989. Las tortugas marinas turtles of the world. An annotated and illustrated del Peru y su situacion actual. Boletin de Lima, No. 62. catalogue of sea turtles species known to date. FAO
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 10 Fisheries Synopsis Nº 125, Vol. 11. Rome, FAO. 81 pp. PRO DELPHINUS. 2002. Final report to the National Fish and MÁRQUEZ, R. 1969. Additional records of the Pacific Wildlife Foundation. Project ‘Sea turtle mortality loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta gigas, from the north assessment in Peru’. Grant 2001-0013-004. July 2002. Mexican Pacific coast. Journal of Herpetology 3:108-110. SEMINOFF, J.A., RESENDIZ, A., RESENDIZ, B., & W.J. NICHOLS, W.J., SEMINOFF, J., RESENDIZ, A., DUTTON, P. NICHOLS. In press. Occurrence of loggerhead sea & F.A. ABREU-GROBOIS. 2000. Using molecular turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Gulf of California, Mexico: genetics and biotelemetry to study life story and long evidence of life-history variation in the Pacific Ocean. distance movement: a tale of two stories. In: Abreu- Herpetological Review. Grobois, F.A., Briseño-Dueñas, R. , Marquez-Millán, R. SHAW, C.E. 1947. First records of the red-brown loggerhead and Sarti-Martinez, L., compilers. Proceedings of the turtle from the eastern Pacific. Herpetologica 4:55-56. Eighteenth International Sea Turtle Symposium. NOAA WYNEKEN, J. 2001. The Anatomy of Sea Turtles. U.S. Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-436. pp. 102-103. Department of Commerce NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-470, 172pp.
A Harness for Attachment of Satellite Transmitters on Flatback Turtles
Jannie Bech Sperling1 & Michael L. Guinea2 1Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia (E-mail: [email protected]) 2Charles Darwin University, NT 0909, Australia (E-mail: [email protected])
A specially developed harness was used to attach oven at 60oC. After 15-20 minutes it had partially melted satellite transmitters to flatback turtles (Natator and required the preferred shape. The gap between depressus) to track the movements of females in their the moulded plate and the transmitter was filled with a inter-nesting habitat near Bare Sand Island, Northern sealer to prevent possible drag effects. Six slits in the Territory (12o32’ S, 130o25’ E) (Guinea et al., in press) plate were made for the attachment of the harness and Curtis Island, Queensland (23o45’S, 151o17’E) straps, and a piece of 3 mm thick neoprene wet suit (Sperling, unpublished data), Australia. The conventional material was used between the plate and the carapace method of gluing transmitters to hard-shelled turtles as padding. The built-in VHF transmitter proved useful using epoxy resin will fail on flatback turtles as they, when retrieving the unit on the beach and was also similarly to leatherback turtles (Dermochelys intended as a way to retrieve the unit should it detach coriacea), have a carapace covered by a soft and easily from the turtle while at sea. abraded skin. In addition, one of the aims of this project Nylon seat-belt webbing (2.5 cm in width) was used was the multiple deployment of a small number of to make six straps radiating from a central ring, with satellite transmitters on a number of individuals and thus two running cranially over the shoulders, two running easy removal was also a concern. The harness caudally, one on either side of the tail, and two running described herein is comparable to a harness system laterally around the middle of the turtle. A strap holding widely used for carrying equipment by leatherback and the two caudal-straps together prevented the harness green turtles (Chelonia mydas) (Chan et al. 1990; from sliding forward (see front cover). Each strap was Eckert & Eckert 1986; Eckert et al. 1986; Eckert et fastened to the ring by fashioning attachment loops al. 1989; Liew et al. 1992). which where manually sewn on for the first deployment, The transmitter (Kiwisat 101 PTT with built-in VHF and secured with multiple cable zip ties for subsequent transmitter) was bolted to a 250 mm x 155 mm x 3mm deployments. The ring, destined to be in a central polycarbonate plate, which was placed behind the location on the underside of the turtle with the six straps median anterior nuchal scute. To construct a well fitting running dorsally towards the attachment package, was plate previous design work had been carried out. A made of a magnesium alloy and was intended to function slightly bigger mould of sheet aluminum shaped to as the corrosive link for the harness: conform the profile of a flatback turtle carapace was (http://www.seaturtle.org/cgi-bin/imagelib/ made, using a flatback turtle skeleton (J14463), and a index.pl?photo=471). The dimensions of the rings were plastic casting of this specimen, both from the based upon those previously used in a study of green Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia. The turtles (Papi et al. 2000). The ring is rectangular in polycarbonate plate was then placed on top of the section (8 x 5 mm) with an outside dimension of 80 moulded aluminum sheet and placed in a commercial mm. The aim was to allow the harness stay on for at
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 11 least the maximum inter-nesting interval (ca. 20 days), foam could withstand. At Curtis Island neoprene wet but not much longer, so that the harness would detach suit material was added for buoyancy instead, but should in the event that a turtle was not recaptured to remove detachment at sea have occurred would have yielded equipment. Given nest site fidelity, high patrol effort insufficient buoyancy to allow surfacing of the antennae. and monitoring for radio transmissions from the VHF Neoprene material seemed to withstand the depth and unit, this was unlikely. showed no sign of abrasion could be seen on the Several experiments with the rings were carried out carapace where the plate had been after detachment. in the water off Bare Sand Island before deployment More work needs to be done to make any unit float on the turtles, and these showed a corrosion rate that with the antennae clear of the surface. was greater than predicted. Two rings glued together Attachment was undertaken by placing the with a silicone sealer appeared that they would last magnesium ring and six straps on top of an overturned longer, but results were equivocal. Because of this 60 cm long 40 cm wide 39 cm high square plastic bin ambiguity, small self tapping screws was used to attach (Nally Limited, Australia). The turtle was then placed the webbing to the edges of the carapace when deployed on top of the bin, with the ring in the middle of its plastron. on turtles for the first time, in addition to the glued double While the turtle was held in position the six straps were rings holding the straps together. Four deployments were attached over the carapace and through the slits in the performed and when all the turtles returned 17 – 19 plate. Each strap was tightened by pulling and secured days later the state of the rings ranged from only on itself with Velcro (http://www.seaturtle.org/cgi-bin/ demonstrating surface corrosion to almost full-thickness imagelib/index.pl?photo=470), pre-sewn onto the straps corrosion. As the rings were placed underneath the beforehand with Poly A/bond thread (V138, Barbour turtles they could easily have been subject to varying Campbell Drybond). Zinc-covered staples were used degrees of wear and tear when in contact with different to further secure the straps. These did not affect the substrata. Differences in the turtles preferred inter- integrity of the straps, and they were easy to pull out nesting location may have played a role. For the with a pair of pliers when removing the harness. subsequent four deployments at Curtis Island, the The strap system on the harness seemed to work magnesium rings were exchanged with stainless steel well, as all three attachments that came back using the rings and no screws were used. Here only the Zinc stainless steel ring and no self-tapping screws, were staples together with the Velcro fastenings, as described very firm and secure when returning. One turtle did below, would be the weak points of the harness allowing lose its harness only a few days after deployment, and eventual detachment after a period of time at large. It the reason for this is not known. Some abrasion of the was felt that this was acceptable because the very high skin occurred at the back of the turtles close to the hind fidelity and well known breeding history of the flippers, but there was no sign of bleeding or broken specimens chosen meant it was very unlikely that the skin. turtles would not return for a subsequent nesting or fail In conclusion, although the basic 6-strap design to be detected for any other reason. seems to be well suited to the size and shape of the Different types of flotation material on the plate were flatback turtle, more experimentation is needed in order trialed in the water off Bare Sand Island before to make the flatback harness more advantageous. deployment, in order to allow the whole harness to be However, the actual method of attachment worked well, slightly positively buoyant if detached, preferably with and could easily be performed in 30-40 minutes by two the two antennae protruding above the water’s surface people. It did not require the overturning of sea turtles, maximizing chances of retrieval should harnesses detach and being carried out at the end of the laying sequence, at sea. Adding steel plates of different thicknesses as a caused minimum disturbance to the natural nesting means of trimming the ballast was trialed, resulting in behaviour. Likewise, detachment of the harness was the need of adding even more flotation. High density carried our after laying of a subsequent clutch. This foam was cut to fit around the transmitter and glued to required only the removal of a few staples before it the underside of the plate using gasket sealer (Loctites could be loosened, allowing the turtle to simply walk Blue Maxx) for the deployments at Bare Sand Island. out of the harness. It did not require moving the turtle The foam was highly compressed on return and time- and was accomplished in less than 2 min. depth recorder data show that the transmitters had been down to a maximum depth of 40 m (Sperling, Acknowledgements: The project was funded by Coast and unpublished data) resulting in higher pressure than the Clean Seas as part of the ongoing nesting beach monitoring at Bare Sand Island, Northern Territory. Tracking time at Curtis
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 12 Island was paid for by the Gladstone Port Authority. The leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). magnesium rings were made and paid for by the Australian Canadian Journal of Zoology 67: 2834-2840. Magnesium Corporation. Support from Sea World Research ECKERT, S.A., D.W. NELLIS, K.L. ECKERT & G.L. and Rescue Foundation, the University of Queensland and KOOYMAN. 1986. Diving patterns of two leatherback the Northern Territory University is appreciated. Ideas and sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) during internesting suggestions from Col Limpus, Queensland Parks and Wildlife intervals at Sandy Point, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Service, Patrick Couper, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, and Herpetologica 42: 381-388. Scott Whiting, Biomarine International, proved very useful. Gordon Grigg gave useful comments on an earlier draft. The GUINEA, M.L., J.B. SPERLING & S.D. WHITING. In press. help of numerous field volunteers is also greatly appreciated. Flatback sea turtle inter-nesting habitat Fog Bay NT. The manuscript benefited from input of one anonymous In: Proceedings of 23rd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle referee and the editors. Biology and Conservation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 17.-21. March 2003. CHAN, E.H., S.A ECKERT, H.C. LIEW & K.L. ECKERT. 1991. LIEW, H.C. & E.H. Chan. 1993. Biotelemetry on green turtles Locating the inter-nesting habitats of leatherback turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Pulau Redang, Malaysia, during (Dermochelys coriacea) in Malaysian waters using radio the inter-nesting period. In: P. macini, C. Cristalli, S. telemetry. In: A. Uchiyama & C.J. Amlaner, Jr. (Eds.). Fioretti & R. Bedini (Eds.). Biotelemetry XII: Proceedings Biotelemetry XI: Proceedings of the Eleventh of the Twelfth International Symposium on Biotelemetry, International Symposium on Biotelemetry. Aug. 29 – Aug. 31 – Sept. 5, 1992, Ancona, Italy. Univ. Litografia Sept. 4, 1990, Yokohama, Japan. Waseda University Felici, Pisa pp. 157-163. Press, Tokyo, Japan pp. 133-138 PAPI, F., P. LUSCHI, S. ÅKESSON, S. CAPOGROSSI & S. ECKERT, S.A. & K.L. ECKERT. 1986. Harnessing HAYS. 2000. Open-sea migration of magnetically leatherbacks. Marine Turtle Newsletter 37:1-3 disturbed sea turtles. Journal of Experimental Biology ECKERT, S.A., K.L. ECKERT, P. PONGANIS & G.L. 203: 3435-3443. KOOYMAN. 1989. Diving and foraging behavior of
Nesting of the Hawksbill Turtle at Shidvar Island, Hormozgan Province, Iran
Asghar Mobaraki Department of Environment, P.O. Box 5181-15875, Tehran-Iran (E-mail: [email protected])
Shidvar Island of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with marine turtle species were identified. Morphometric an area of 80ha (26°48`N, 53°25`E) is located in data on nesting females and eggs were gathered and Hormozgan province, in the Persian Gulf. It has a coast thirteen of these individuals were tagged using metal line of 5.5km of which 2km are sandy beaches suitable flipper tags. Of 23 females measured, mean (±SD, for marine turtle nesting. This island has been reported range) curved carapace length was 71.0 cm (±3.1, 64- as one of the most important nesting sites for hawksbill 75cm), mean curved carapace width was 65.6cm (±2.5, turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Iran. For this 60-71cm) and mean body weight was 37.7kg (±4.1, reason, as well as its importance as a nesting site of 30-45kg). The seven clutches examined had an average bird species (lesser crested tern Sterba bengalensis, of 98.4 eggs per clutch(±15.8, 79-118 eggs) with mean crested tern Sterna bergii, bridled tern Sterna of mean egg weights 27.8g (±2.0, 25.7-31.6g) and a anaethetus) it has received nomination as a protected mean of mean egg diameter of 37.0mm(±1.0, 36.2- area, including RAMSAR status. 38.9mm). Although this island has profound importance, regular These limited data confirm that Shidvar Island is of studies have not been undertaken. To gain an insight to tremendous biodiversity importance. This is enhanced the biology of hawksbill turtles nesting at the site the by the fact that it is not subject to human habitation and island was visited for 1 week from 6-11 May 2003. is free from other mammalian predators. The likelihood This was thought to be good timing for a short trip as that successful conservation of this island can play a nesting in the region is thought to be largely between positive role in safeguarding regional hawksbill March and June. During our stay, 30 female hawksbill populations is high. It is hoped that more extensive turtles emerged for nesting but only seven of them studies will be possible in the future to allow a more successfully laid a clutch of eggs. No other nesting detailed population assessment and insights into the biology of the hawksbill turtle in this region. Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 13 MEETING REPORTS The Bermuda Turtle Project’s International Course on the Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles, 2003
P. Meylan1, A. Meylan2 & J. Gray3 1 Natural Sciences, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA(E-mail: [email protected]) 2 Florida Marine Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 100 8th Ave., SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA (E-mail:[email protected]) 3 Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, P.O. Box FL 145 FLBX, Flatts, Bermuda ( E-mail: [email protected])
The Bermuda Turtle Project (BTP) offered its effects that humans have on turtles in each life stage International Course on the Biology and Conservation allowed for in-depth discussions of conservation issues of Sea Turtles for the eighth time August 4-15, 2003. in a biological context. Participants were expected to The two-week course consisted of lectures, class lead some discussions, and they had the opportunity to discussions of assigned readings, a necropsy session, discuss issues and methods of particular relevance to and 10 days of field work aboard the RV Calamus. their home country. One of the goals of the course was Fieldwork involved capturing immature green turtles to acquaint participants with research techniques useful (Chelonia mydas) as part of sampling efforts for a for in-water studies, such as capture methods, tagging, long-term (35-year) study of sea turtles in Bermuda measuring, collection of blood and tissue samples for waters. The BTP is a collaborative research project of determination of sex and genetic identity, and application the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) of satellite transmitters. Course materials provided to and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC). each of the participants included the BTP Procedures The course was taught by Drs. Peter and Anne Meylan, Manual, the IUCN MTSG Research and Management principal investigators for BTP, and Jennifer Gray, Techniques Manual, the Florida Fish and Wildlife project coordinator. Guest lectures were given on sea Conservation Commission video on nest survey turtle anatomy and disease by Dr. Robert George of methodology, Sea Turtle Necropsy Manual for Biologists (Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Virginia in Remote Refuges, The Anatomy of Sea Turtles (CD- Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program) ROM), 17 assigned papers and other educational and on cultural and socioeconomic issues regarding sea materials. turtles by Peter Richardson (Marine Conservation A total of 65 green turtles were captured using a Society and the Turtles in the Caribbean Overseas 610m entrapment net during ten days of sampling at Territories (TCOT) Project). This year’s nine various seagrass beds around the Bermuda Platform. participants were drawn from Anguilla, the British Virgin Participants each swam an estimated 37 km while Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Turks & Caicos patrolling the net and retrieving entangled turtles. The Islands, Grenada, St. Lucia, and the United States. Five field team devoted some time to snorkelling on coral were conservation officers from the Caribbean involved reefs to try to capture hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys with the TCOT Project; the other four included a imbricata), which rarely get taken in the net. government natural resource manager from St. Lucia, Participants also helped attach a satellite transmitter to a high-school teacher from the U.S.A., an intern from a 72cm green turtle. The turtle (given the name Vixen, BAMZ, and the director of an NGO involved in field after a well-known wreck in Bermuda) was first tagged projects with sea turtles in Grenada. Most participants at Bermuda in 1997, and her sex was determined by a had some prior experience with marine turtles, and testosterone assay. She was approaching the size at several are currently initiating or conducting field studies which green turtles depart Bermuda and migrate to of turtles in their own countries. feeding grounds in the Caribbean. As of November, The course provided an introduction to the biology Vixen had not left Bermuda. Her movements will of marine turtles with an emphasis on topics that are continue to be monitored and posted at the CCC’s relevant to marine turtle conservation on an international website
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 14 which students dissected 13 green turtles and hawksbills have included Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Canada, Costa that had been recovered by the Bermuda Sea Turtle Rica, Cuba, India, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, the U.K. Stranding and Salvage Network during the previous and Venezuela. year. In addition to providing an opportunity to learn basic anatomy of sea turtles, the necropsy session Acknowledgments. The course is sponsored by the Bermuda enabled participants to learn first-hand about some of Aquarium, Museum and Zoo and the Caribbean the mortality factors for sea turtles, such as entanglement Conservation Corporation and is provided free of charge. in monofilament line, ingestion of hooks, boat collisions, We thank BAMZ staff, especially Marine Operations, and and disease. Captain D. Exell, for logistical support for the field work. Funding for the 2003 participants came from the U.K. Foreign The 2003 course included a social at the Bermuda Commonwealth Office’s Environment Fund in a grant to the Aquarium, as well as a dinner and awards ceremony at Marine Conservation Society managed by Peter Richardson, Nonsuch Island Nature Reserve. Course certificates Chevron Texaco International, and the Friends of the Bermuda and awards were presented this year by The Honourable Aquarium (FOBA). We thank the following: the additional Neletha Butterfield (JP, MP) Bermuda’s Minister of members of the TCOT team (A.Broderick, B. Godley and S. the Environment, who also enthusiastically participated Ranger) for their roles in coordinating the funding application in the fieldwork one day. to the U.K. government; Dr. K, Eckert (WIDECAST) for Over the eight years this course has been offered, it coordinating the selection of two participants; Bermuda has served 79 students from countries bordering the Zoological Society for hosting the social; J. and L. Madeiros Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean. In addition for the logistics that made the dinner and ceremony on Nonsuch Island possible; Minister Butterfield for joining us to the countries of origin listed for this year’s in the field and taking part in the awards ceremony. participants, other countries of origin of past participants
First National Marine Turtle Symposium in Turkey
Ayse Oruç WWF Turkey, Büyük Postane Caddesi No:43-45,Bahçekapi, Sirkeci, Istanbul, Turkey (E-mail: [email protected])
More than 150 participants attended to the First beaches for both the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) National Marine Turtle Symposium in Turkey on and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), on the December 4-5, 2003 in Istanbul. The Symposium, Mediterranean coasts of Turkey started in 1979 with organized by WWF-Turkey, aimed to provide a review the support of WWF and the IUCN. (Geldiay et al. of marine turtle projects and distribute information on 1982). WWF supported a survey of the entire Turkish effective conservation techniques, promote successful Mediterranean coast (2,456 kilometers) in 1988 to examples, facilitate a draft National Species Action Plan identify the most important marine turtle nesting sites for Marine Turtles, and support existing networks on (Baran & Kasparek 1989). Seventeen beaches on the local, national and international basis. Turkish Mediterranean coast were officially designated The Symposium provided an important opportunity as Marine Turtle Nesting Sites. These beaches are for the review of the situation of threats to marine turtle among the last refuges for these species in the nesting sites by all related stakeholders: academics, local Mediterranean and are protected according to national and national NGOs, relevant Ministry staff (Ministry law referring to Bern and Barcelona conventions to of Agriculture, Environment and Forestry, Tourism, which Turkey is a signatory. In 1994, an assessment Coast Guard, Gendarme), provincial governmental survey was carried out with WWF’s support, on the 17 institutions (in Mugla, Antalya, Mersin, Adana and major nesting sites (Yerli & Demirayak 1996). As a Hatay), and representatives of relevant sectors such result of this assessment, it was found that marine turtles as tourism, industry from nesting sites. Dimitris and their habitats in Turkey, were not adequately Margaritoulis, IUCN-SCC Marine Turtle Specialist protected given Turkey’s commitments under the Bern Group Vice Chair for the Mediterranean and North East and Barcelona Conventions. The assessment report Atlantic and Atef Ouerghi, UNEP-RAC/SPA emphasized increasing anthropogenic threats at a Representative were also among the participants. majority of these sites. In 2003, WWF-Turkey carried The first systematic surveys of marine turtle nesting out a further assessment (Oruç et al. 2003) and the
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 15 report of this research was distributed during the Ouerghi, UNEP-RAC/SPA Representative for their support Symposium. The report shows that 64% of the 17 most and participation in the symposium. important nesting sites are not adequately protected. A draft “National Action Plan for Marine Turtles” GELDIAY, R., T. KORAY & S. BALIK. 1982. Status of the sea was prepared during a workshop called “Looking turtle population (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) in the Northern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. In: K.A. Forward” at the end of the second day. The draft Bjorndal (Ed.) Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. included the following conclusions: Smithsonian Institute Press. Washington, D.C. pp. 425- 434. ·A National Action Plan for the conservation of BARAN, I. & M. KASPAREK. 1989. Marine Turtles Turkey, marine turtles and their habitats should be prepared Status survey 1988 and recommendations for as soon as possible; conservation and management. WWF, Verlag, Heidelberg. ·Marine turtle rescue and rehabilitation centers 123pp. should be established; and YERLI, S. & F. DEMIRAYAK. 1996. Marine Turtles in Turkey, ·Methods employed in conservation and monitoring A survey on nesting site status. WWF & DHKD, of the nesting sites should be standardized. Istanbul. 129pp. ORUC, A., O. TURKOZAN & H. DURMUS. 2003. In the Acknowledgements: We are sincerely grateful to Mr. Dimitris Tracks of Marine Turtles: Assessment of Marine Turtle Margaritoulis, IUCN-SCC MTSG Vice Chair and Mr. Atef Nesting Sites 2003. WWF, Istanbul. 96pp.
Second Annual Student Symposium for Costa Rica’s Caribbean Leatherbacks (14th June 2003)
Julie Osborn Conservation and Development Director, Ecology Project International, P.O. Box 9192, Missoula, MT, USA 406-721-8784(E-mail: [email protected])
Ecology Project International (EPI) recently hosted turtle research. During the course, students spend three its second annual Student Sea Turtle Symposium as the to six days at a leatherback nesting beach taking classes 2003 leatherback nesting season on the Caribbean coast and assisting in the data collection and protection work of Costa Rica drew to a close. Over 200 Costa Rican at Pacuare Reserve, Costa Rica. Four hundred students students, teachers, biologists, and community members and teachers participated in STEP during the 2003 gathered at EARTH University in Guapiles, Costa Rica. nesting season. Representatives from 12 high schools and universities, Interspersed throughout the day were letter writing eight Costa Rican sea turtle projects, the Coast Guard, activities designed to connect students from different parents, and other community members shared schools, communities, countries. Seventeen USA high information and ideas about sea turtle conservation. school students that had participated in STEP the Keynote speakers included Daniel Sherrard, the previous week attended the Symposium. For more Deacon of EARTH; Maria Teresa Koberg of the Inter- information about the annual Student Symposium or American Convention for the Protection of Sea Turtles; EPI’s programs, please contact the author or visit the Belinda Dick, the Research Coordinator at Pacuare project’s website:
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 16 West Atlantic Green Turtle Population Modeling Workshop
Alan B. Bolten1 & Milani Chaloupka2 1Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA (E-mail: [email protected]) 2 Ecological Modelling Services Pty Ltd, PO Box 6150, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4067 Australia (E-mail: [email protected])
The West Atlantic Green Turtle Population Modeling Workshop participants reviewed the model and Workshop was held from 22-24 October 2003 on Grand identified research needed to improve the parameters Cayman, British West Indies. The workshop was in the model. Unpublished sources of data were funded through the Cayman Turtle Farm and organized identified, and collaborative data analyses were planned. by Alan Bolten, Milani Chaloupka and Ken Hydes. As will be announced in more detail later, a collaborative The objective of the workshop was to launch the initiative to compile tag return data for the region was West Atlantic Green Turtle Modeling Initiative to foster planned to define the spatial structure of the West better insight into the population dynamics of the regional Atlantic green turtle metapopulation. green turtle metapopulation. Milani Chaloupka presented Participants in the workshop were: Alberto Abreu, a stochastic simulation model of green turtle dynamics George Balazs, Catherine Bell, Karen Bjorndal, Janice in the West Atlantic that he had developed for the Blumenthal, Alan Bolten, Milani Chaloupka, Gina workshop. The model was based on demographic Ebanks-Petrie, Scott Eckert, Vin Fleming, Jack Frazier, information derived for this stock from published material Brendan Godley, Julia Horrocks, Ken Hydes, Cynthia and grey literature. The simulation model was designed Lagueux, Brian Lusty, Neca Marcovaldi, Anne Meylan, to support robust evaluation of the effects of habitat- Felix Moncada, Nicholas Mrosovsky, Joe Parsons, Henri specific competing mortality risks on stock and substock- Reichart, Sebastian Troeng, Vincent Vera, and Melania specific viability. This is a substock-, sex- and ageclass- Yanez. structured model linked by density-dependent, correlated A listserv discussion group has been established to and time-varying demographic processes that are subject foster communication within the group. A follow-up to environmental and demographic stochasticity. workshop is planned for 2005. Compensatory density-dependent processes have been included in the model to account for the temporal variability in the substock-specific proportion of females and males preparing to breed each year in response to major oceanographic anomalies such as El Niño events that are well known to affect green turtle stocks. Depensatory density-dependent processes (Allee effects) were also included by using a female mating success probability function that was dependent on the probability of finding at least one male mate. Environmental stochasticity was accounted for by sampling all the demographic rates from probability density or mass functions to reflect the temporal variability observed for this stock. Demographic stochasticity was accounted for in the model by using Poisson discrete event sampling approach to account for extra-Poisson sampling variation observed in fecundity or survival probabilities for other green turtle stocks.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 17 IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group News
Third Quarter 2003
Nicolas J. Pilcher & Roderic B. Mast 1Marine Research Foundation, 136 Lorong Pokok Seraya 2, Taman Khidmat, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, Tel + 60 88 386136, (Email: [email protected]) 2Conservation International, Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, 1919 M street NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA, Tel (202) 912-1216, (Email: [email protected])
It has been a busy few months trying to pull together opening session that provides a brief overview of the resources of MTSG members and solidify some of progress on some of the major projects of the network the plans referenced in our prior MTN update, and we and Secretariat (Red List updates, SIS, etc.) followed hope this missive will provide you with a suitable by 10 minute presentations from several specialist summary of progress. In this update we highlight the groups highlighting successes and lessons learned. In development of our plans on the MTSG retreat, the our next quarterly update we will share with you the results of some interesting dialog among MTSG outcomes of the meeting and interactions among other members, meetings at which the MTSG will be specialist groups in the Asian region. represented, and updates on projects and partnerships. On the issue of increasing communication, we are Paramount in our minds over the last few months pleased to report that over the last few months there has been preparations for the MTSG Vision and Mission has been a dramatic increase in discussion and open Meeting/Retreat, which will take place at the National sharing of views among MTSG members particularly Conservation Training Center in Shepardstown, WV, on the subjects of ‘Use’ / ‘Sustainable Use’, the USA (near Washington, DC), December 16-19, 2003. downgrading of listing criteria for the ESA, and We look forward to getting as much input and opinions Ranching. Right from the start is was made clear that regarding the future of marine turtle conservation and the terms use and sustainable use need clear definitions, research from our selected panel of invitees, and hope not just in the literal sense of the words themselves but to determine what the MTSG’s niche in this field will in the conservation connotation they carry. The most appropriately be. During the MTSG meeting held discussions so far suggest that the MTSG might want in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, the membership to support the adoption of a few test cases in which requested just such a retreat to help define the key some form of limited “take” is permitted and use modern issues for marine turtle conservation for the 21st scientific and modeling techniques to understand the Century and to review, re-consider, and validate the effects of said take on wild stocks. Also, given that MTSG’s Vision, Mission and Strategy. We trust this funding is a major constraint to the conservation of will be a wonderful opportunity for team-building within species, possibly some “less-traditional” funding the MTSG, and a way for the new leadership to take opportunities need to be examined to support marine stock and prepare for the task of managing and leading turtle conservation which may include regulated take, the Group into the future. We are also attempting to ranching, and limited trade. A key argument made conduct a broader membership consultation process in following this was that if trade were to be allowed, there the coming weeks, the results of which will be shared would need to be an effective mechanism to ensure with participants prior to the retreat. We intend to that black-market products are not sold through legal present the results of our work at the next MTSG Annual channels, and possibly controlling the origin of the trade General Meeting, to take place in Costa Rica at the in endangered species may be the only way to prevent 24th STS (Feb. 22-29, 2004). illegitimate sales of marine turtles and their products. In December (9-13) the MTSG will have a The notes above, and the mature discussion that was representative (Kartik Shanker) attending the IUCN conducted which resulted in these thoughts, have been Asia Regional Conservation Forum in Colombo, Sri most encouraging, as they have allowed us to synthesize Lanka. The meeting will concentrate on sharing some of the major concerns of members of the MTSG information on what the specialist groups are doing in with regard to where the Group needs to focus its the region, as well as provide some information on the energies in the coming years. initiatives of SSC globally. The agenda will include an This quarter has also see the structure of the MTSG
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 18 group updated, with the appointment on the 1st of and marine environments in the region. The “Regional October of Kartik Shanker as regional Coordinator for Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Turtles and the South Asia region. Kartik can be reached on their Habitats in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden” was
MTSG NEWS FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN/ NORTH EAST ATLANTIC REGION
1. A Workshop on Marine Turtle Bycatch in of Tagging Techniques and Guidelines for Sea Turtle Longline Fisheries took place in Malaga (30-31 Rescue Centres. Further, the existing manual on sea October 2003). It was organized by the Spanish turtles for fishermen should be adapted and translated Cetacean Society and hosted by the IUCN to other Mediterranean languages. Finally, the second Mediterranean Office, in the context of LIFE Nature Mediterranean Conference was decided and three project, co-funded by the European Commission. The international conventions (Barcelona, Bern and Bonn Workshop tackled the following topics: Analysing the Conventions) were asked to work jointly for its identity of affected turtle populations and their implementation. migration routes, factors affecting higher bycatch (hook size, bait used, depth of hook, light sticks) and 3. A national Sea Turtle Symposium was organised solutions to minimize bycatch, management plans in Turkey (Istanbul, 4-5 December). See Oruç pp15- (SACs for loggerhead turtles), cooperation with 16 this issue. fishermen and recovery of accidentally caught turtles. Dimitris Margaritoulis, Regional Vice Chair. 2. At the Sixth Meeting of National Focal Points for SPAs, organized by UNEP-RAC/SPA in Marseilles (17-20 June 2003), the implementation of the Action Plan for the Conservation of Mediterranean Marine Turtles was discussed. Two specific issues were presented: the Standarization
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 19 OBITUARY: Henry H. Hildebrand (1922-2003) As Remembered by Two Friends
Pat Burchfield1 & Wes Tunnell2 1Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas 2Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas
Dr. Henry H. Hildebrand died in Corpus Christi on 14 toward extinction. August 2003, five days short of his 81st birthday. A At that time Dr. Hildebrand was in frequent contact Memorial Service was held for him in the Natural with Dr. Rene Marquez Millán who headed up the Sea Resources Center at Texas A&M University-Corpus Turtle Program at Rancho Nuevo for Mexico and Dr. Christi on 12 September. About 100 friends, family, Peter Pritchard and his students who made up the USA colleagues and former students gathered to celebrate assistance group in those difficult early years. Dr. Hildebrand and the impact he had on many lives. Hildebrand’s encyclopedic knowledge of the Gulf of Mexico was a critical element in the early recovery From Pat Burchfield: efforts for the ridley. For fourteen years answer to a biological mystery Over the ensuing years Dr. Hildebrand made lay waiting to be discovered. A film made by Ingeniero countless trips to the Rancho Nuevo nesting beach and Andres Herrera of Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico on was great friends with one of the influential local the morning of 10 June 1947 held the answer to the ranchers, Don Antonio Gonzalez who became an active “riddle of the ridley”. Although nests had been reported and important participant in the effort to preserve what by John Werler in 1951, a major nesting ground had yet little remained of the “tortuga lora”. Dr. Hildebrand to be discovered. An avid nature enthusiast, Ingeniero always remained keenly interested in the plight of the Herrera had screened his film for friends, even a group Kemp’s ridley and at least once a month, starting in in Chicago, but not for the scientific community. April through October of each year, he would call or An inveterate traveler and researcher, Dr. Henry stop by the Gladys Porter Zoo wanting the latest figures Hildebrand of the University of Corpus Christi, Texas, of nesting turtles, hatchlings and general progress on knew practically every fisherman, fisheries officer and the recovery effort. His work also inspired a Brownsville researcher working in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1960, on business contractor, Daryl Adams, to begin a grass roots one of his many trips to Mexico he was made aware of conservation effort to establish a second nesting beach a film depicting thousands of ridleys nesting at the same on South Padre Island in 1963. time. He sought out Ingeniero Herrera and the rest is history. The primary nesting ground of the Kemp’s ridley From Wes Tunnell: or “tortuga lora” had been found on an isolated stretch Henry Hildebrand began his journey to Texas from of beach near the small ranching community called the landlocked state of Kansas. He was born in Fowler Rancho Nuevo. Following Dr. Archie Carr’s lead, and in 1922 to a high school teacher and teacher-turned- inspired by the book The Windward Road, Hildebrand housewife. From the time he entered high school, had been actively searching for the nesting ground of Hildebrand was interested in zoology and fisheries the Kemp’s ridley. He interviewed fishermen stopping because of the influence of his uncle, Samuel at every palm-thatched local restaurant with a turtle Hildebrand, who is considered one of the greatest carapace hanging on the wall from Tamaulipas to ichthyologists ever produced by this country. He southern Veracruz but, like Dr. Carr, he failed to find a received his bachelor’s degree in zoology from the nesting ridley. In 1961, once the nesting place of the University of Kansas in 1946 and a master’s degree in ridley was known to science, Mexican researchers and fisheries in 1948 from McGill University in Montreal. biologists soon discovered that the turtle numbers had After he left McGill, Hildebrand began taking graduate declined dramatically since the 1940’s and they began courses at the University of Washington, which he left a conservation effort in 1966. In 1978 a binational effort after a year and ended up at what is now the University involving Mexico and the USA was begun when it of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas. He seemed as if the “tortuga lora” was well on the way earned his PhD from the University of Texas in 1954
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 20 under the direction of Gordon Gunter. From there he Hildebrand moved to Texas A&I University (now was to work in Veracruz, Mexico, establishing a Texas A&M) in Kingsville, where he taught and Pompano fishery. However, days before he arrived in conducted research from 1973 to 1979 before entering Veracruz, red tide destroyed most of the marine life the private sector as a consultant, primarily for near the shore, making it nearly impossible to establish commercial fishing interests. He retired in 1985. the fishery. Hildebrand subsequently returned to Corpus He had many crowning achievements during his Christi and took a teaching job in 1957 at the University career, including the establishment of the marine science of Corpus Christi (UCC). program at UCC, now Texas A&M University-Corpus Hildebrand’s research while in Texas included Christi (TAMU-CC), in 1957. Hildebrand developed a groundbreaking work on the Laguna Madre of hands-on, field-oriented marine biology program that Tamaulipas in Mexico, the fauna of the penaeid shrimp continues to be the model for the marine science grounds in the western and southern Gulf of Mexico, program today. Students are taken into the field and red tides in Texas and Mexico, oil and tar on beaches, learn things from the field, not just in the lab or in books baseline and environmental monitoring in the Laguna - one of Dr. Hildebrand’s most valuable contributions Madre of Texas and Oso Bay in relation to a power say former students. plant start-up, and brine discharges by the petroleum Although Dr. Hildebrand retired in 1985, he stayed industry in Texas streams. Most felt his greatest active in marine science. He kept current with local scientific achievement was finding the nesting grounds issues, especially those of commercial fisherman, and for the Kemp’s ridley. proved to be an important proponent for the shrimping Hildebrand’s research was not limited to Texas, industry. Even in Dr. Hildebrand’s last years, he visited however, or even the United States. He studied the the TAMU-CC campus almost weekly, eager to visit king crab fishery in the Bering Sea, the cod fishery in colleagues, former students, and old friends about marine Ungava Bay, Quebec, and he made countless trips to science and current issues. An endowed scholarship Mexico and Central America. Beginning in the late has been set up in Dr. Hildebrand’s name at Texas A&M 1950’s or early 1960’s, Hildebrand took yearly trips to University-Corpus Christi. For further, more detailed Mexico and British Honduras, now Belize, with a dozen reading and information about Dr. Hildebrand, see two or so students in tow. He studied the coral reefs, articles by Jim Hiney in Texas Sea Grant magazine, seagrass beds, oyster reefs, as well as many other Texas Shores, Spring 2002, pp. 21-28 and Fall 2003, habitats. Additionally, he taught his students about the pp. 2-3) culture and history of these areas and made a point to visit the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Acknowledgements: Thanks to Suzanne Dilworth, Center for and Palenque. Coastal Studies at TAMU-CC for helping to gather information.
OBITUARY: C. Robert Shoop (1935-2003)
Tundi Agardy & Keith T. Killingbeck 1Executive Director, Sound Seas, 6620 Broad Street, Bethesda, MD 20816-2604, USA (E-mail: [email protected]) 2Department of Biological Sciences, Ranger Hall, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA (E-mail: [email protected])
Dedicated natural historian, herpetologist, and a good Bob received his Ph.D. from Tulane University in friend to many of us, Bob Shoop died on 7 November 1963, and followed his graduate school education with 2003 of a stroke he suffered earlier that week. As with herpetological studies at Oak Ridge. He quickly became all people with rich personalities and many achievements, an expert on the natural history of amphibians, it is difficult to recall Bob’s life in a few short paragraphs. uncovering many secrets of these elusive creatures. He touched many of us - colleagues, students, and His herpetological interests also drove him to explore friends alike, and will always be remembered for his the life of reptiles, and to many in the sea turtle arena wit, creativity, and unflinching curiosity about the natural he came to be viewed as a guru, with broad knowledge world and the life contained within it. and interest in marine turtle ecology and conservation.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 21 Bob’s teaching career spawned many productive (usually road kill, but sometimes worse), meet with fellow students, who remember him fondly for his eternal sense naturalists and students, and hear of new discoveries. of humor and pursuit of good fun. His first extended A few years ago, Bob left URI to go into semi- teaching stint was at Wellesley College in the 1960s, retirement on Cumberland Island, off the coast of where he was able to make the sometimes far too Georgia. With long time partner and fellow naturalist serious and self-absorbed Wellesley women (T.A. being Carol Ruckdeschel, Shoop continued to explore his one such alum!) realize that the best way to learn is to environs, uncovering new facts about the life histories enjoy oneself and let one’s own curiosity create a thirst of resident species, and further building his and our for knowledge. knowledge of, and respect for, the natural world. Shoop left Wellesley after 7 years to join University A celebration of Bob Shoop’s life was held at Plum of Rhode Island’s Zoology Department faculty. During Orchard mansion on Cumberland Island on 15 20 odd years at URI, he taught both undergraduate and November 2003, with another at URI on December graduate courses, and served as major professor or 18, in the tradition of the Shoop Sessions. To permanently committee member to almost seventy masters and recognize the contributions of Bob to science, URI is doctoral students. Many of those students continue to commissioning a bronze plaque in his memory that will work as scientists or conservationists, and indeed many be prominently displayed at the URI Alton Jones are pivotal figures in the struggle to save sea turtles Campus. This Campus includes a protected research from extinction. To many in the URI community, Shoop area where Bob did much of his pioneering work on was a central social and intellectual figure, working with amphibian movements and population dynamics. In colleagues to organize diverse seminars, and hosting keeping with Shoop’s fine philosophy of life, these the now infamous Shoop sessions on Friday afternoons events are not intended to promote mourning, but rather that Bob held regularly, in order to taste mystery meat celebrate a life exceedingly well lived.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Unprecedented Support from Costa Rican Head of State for the 24th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation (San Jose, Costa Rica, February 22-29, 2004)
Roderic B. Mast 1 & Brian Hutchinson2 1President, International Sea Turtle Society (ISTS), 2Acting Program Officer, IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group. c/o Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, 1919 M street NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA, (Email: [email protected] and [email protected])
Update on Preparations President and the Ministry of Environment and Energy The Costa Rican Head of State, Dr. Abel Pacheco, (MINAE) for this strong alliance with the ISTS. today pledged to do all in his power to help the ISTS The deadline for abstract submissions was put on an excellent Symposium in his country, and we November 15th, and according to SEATURTLE.ORG sincerely hope that he will be with us for the opening Director, Michael Coyne, registrations that day closed ceremonies on the morning of February 23rd, 2004. at a record high, as did abstract submissions and online Indeed, the “Public Interest Decree” that he and his payments. Thanks to all of you who registered early. Minister of Environment signed on behalf of the However, hotel reservations here in Costa Rica are still Symposium has done a great deal to open doors for us low; for those of you who know you are coming to with the agencies here that will assure smooth sailing, Costa Rica, we urge you to act now to purchase your and it has also served to impress our donors and private plane tickets through our travel partner, Manaca (who sector collaborators. President Pacheco today told us, offers discounts for Symposium participants), and also “Yo amo las tortugas” (I love turtles), and we cannot to make your hotel reservations at the Hotel Herradura think of a more valuable political stance than that from (see below) as soon as possible. the leader of a country so globally important to the Our fundraising efforts will be redoubled in these survival of sea turtles. We are greatly indebted to the final weeks prior to the Symposium. We want to thank
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 22 all of the early and generous donors including the Offield Final Reminders to Participants in the 24th Annual Foundation, Frances Velay, the East Bay Community Symposium Foundation, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Registration: You must register to attend the Management Council, the Southeast Fisheries Science Symposium. The preferred registration method is to visit Center, Conservation International, the Oceanic the Symposium’s web site (http://www.seaturtle.org/ Resource Foundation, the Southwest Fisheries Science symposium/). There you will find everything you need Center and lastly, the Gap Foundation and Swat Fame; to know in a user-friendly interface. The sooner you the latter two donors provided the ISTS with high quality register, the less money it will cost you up until the final Gap T-shirts and silk-screen printing. These T-shirts deadline for early registration on February 1st, 2004. are now available as promotional giveaways to people While we welcome the extra revenue that comes from who contribute to the ISTS’s International Travel Fund. late registrants, it does make the work of the organizers Do your part to assure that sea turtle researchers from more difficult, so we kindly nudge you to register online around the world are able to attend this year’s as soon as you can. Use the money you save through Symposium. For every online contribution of $10 made early registration to donate to the International Travel prior to the Symposium, you will receive a free t-shirt; Fund instead, and receive a free t-shirt!! make your donation now at www.seaturtle.org, as there Lodging: Participants at the Symposium will stay at the are a limited number of t-shirts available. Herradura Hotel in San Jose, where a block of As with past Symposia, we will depend on the silent discounted rooms has been reserved for the Symposium. and the not-so-silent auctions both to entertain, but also Reserve your room by e-mail to to generate money for the International Travel Fund. [email protected], or call (+506) 239-0033. We urge participants to dig through your attics, Be sure to make reference to the Sea Turtle basements and bodegas now and think about what you Symposium. can donate from your stash of sea turtle memorabilia. International travel and pre & post-Symposium We are looking for new and different and high value excursions: Why come to Costa Rica and not get to items, as well as the usual T-shirts, bottles of rum, tacky know this amazing country? Neoptropical Expeditions, lampshades and the usual fare that makes the auction a local ecotourism leader, has teamed-up with Manaca such a fun event for all. Thank you in advance for these to offer a variety of inexpensive tour packages to see in-kind contributions; if you have any concerns or Costa Rica and its natural beauty, including a few that questions about what can be brought in to Costa Rica include visits to sea turtle beaches! Take advantage of from abroad, please do not hesitate to contact Roderic these deals; to learn about the offerings, visit the Mast prior to the symposium. Manaca website, which can be accessed directly on The Symposium Program can be viewed online at the web, or from www.seaturtle.org. www.seaturtle.org, where it will be updated regularly. Visas: If you are from Colombia, South Africa or if you Several new items have been added (times and places envision that you may have difficulty obtaining a visa in to be announced), including a workshop on Sea Turtle your home nation, please seek advice from the Genetics to be hosted by Peter Dutton; a Fresh Water Symposium Organizing Committee, c/o Clara Padilla Turtle and Tortoise Seminar to be hosted by Chuck ([email protected]) as soon possible. These Schaffer; and a Global Sea Turtle Mapping Workshop arrangements take time, so do not leave your visa to be hosted by a consortium including Duke Marine questions until the last minute, as you may be risking Lab/OBIS-Seamap, Widecast, the IUCN Marine Turtle your attendance at the Symposium. See you there! Specialist Group (MTSG) and Conservation International. At the website, you can also find more information about the plethora of related meetings that will take place before, during and after the Symposium that thus far includes; the MTSG Annual General Meeting, ISTS Board and General Meetings; and Regional Meetings for WIDECAST, Africa, Mediterranean, Asia, and Latin America.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 23 Your Help Needed in International Project to Assess Turtle Mortality by Satellite Telemetry
Graeme C. Hays School of Biol. Sci., Univ. of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK (E-mail: [email protected])
Satellite tracking is now a widely used tool in sea The inference that these turtles were captured was turtle projects, being used to identify the movements supported by reports from direct observation that in and behaviour of individuals of all species. However, in three of the six cases, the turtles were observed dead addition to revealing new insights into the behaviour of in fishing villages. turtles, satellite tracking also promises to be a vital tool The time is now ripe to extend this analysis of satellite to assess levels of turtle mortality. This article is a plea tracking data so that regionally-specific and species- for groups around the World to pool their satellite specific mortality rates can be calculated. To achieve tracking data so that regionally and species-specific this goal will require the collaboration of many different estimates of turtle mortality rates can be calculated. research groups around the world, as large numbers of As part of satellite tracking studies conducted turtles need to be tracked for the most accurate results. around the World, evidence has been found for the death An international project has therefore been initiated to of tracked turtles (Hays et al. 2003). Usually turtles pool satellite tracking results so that global estimates of are followed for varying lengths of time before signals mortality rates can be determined. This is where you from transmitters simply cease. Presumably most of can help. If you have conducted a satellite tracking study these cases simply reflect failure of the transmitters, (even if you have not recorded instances of tracked transmitter detachment or battery depletion. In some turtles being killed) your data will be very useful. What cases, however, unusual telemetry from transmitters I am hoping to collate are satellite tracking records that suggests turtles have been captured by fishermen. This detail the following information for each study: species evidence comes from (i) the sudden movement of tracked, geographical area, total number of days tracking, tracked turtles to inland villages and towns and/or (ii) total number of individuals tracked and the number of the sudden increase in the rate that good quality locations individuals tracked until death. are received (i.e. location classes 1, 2, and 3 which are I am hoping to collate a global data set and then to generally within 1 km of the true position) indicating publish a large paper that details the results. All that a transmitter is no longer submerged (which contributors to the global data-set will be included as prevents signals being transmitted) and/or (iii) direct authors in the publication. If you would like further information from on-board submergence sensors that information or a copy of the paper just published on this indicates a turtle is no longer submerging. In a recent subject, then please email me for more details or visit: study 5923 days of tracking data from 50 turtles were http://www.swan.ac.uk/bs/turtle/ pooled and 6 instances were found where the satellite telemetry data suggested a turtle was captured (Hays Hays G.C., A.C. Broderick, B.J. Godley, P. Luschi & W.J. et al. 2003). This gives an annual mortality rate of 0.31, Nichols. 2003. Satellite telemetry suggests high levels of i.e. turtles had a 31% chance of being killed each year. fishing induced mortality for marine turtles. Marine This is a very high level of mortality that is unsustainable. Ecology Progress Series. 262: 305-309.
Moçambique Marine Turtle Working Group Created
On the 22nd of September 2003 in Maputo City, the Marine Turtle Working Group of Moçambique (GTT) was launched. Five species occur in Moçambique, namely the green turtle, the olive ridley, the loggerhead turtle, the hawksbill turtle and the leatherback turtle. The group is presently made up of about 12 people from the public sector, private and civil society and it is open to all that are interested, independent of their nationality. It is hoped that the organisaton will grow in time . For more informations: Samiro Magane , Sidónia Muhorro & Cristina Louro, Moçambique Marine Turtle Working Group c/o Forum para a Natureza em Perigo, Associação Moçambicana para a Preservação da Biodiversidade, Av. Amílcar Cabral, 183 – 1o Flat3. C.P. 4203 Maputo Moçambique (E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]).
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 24 Sea Turtle Conservation Manuals
Harry Andrews1 & Kartik Shanker2 1Director, Centre for Herpetology, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Postbag 4, Mamallapuram Tamil Nadu, India. (E-mail: [email protected]) 2Fellow, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environmnent, 659, 5th A Main Road, Hebbal, Bangalore 560024, India. (E-mail: [email protected]) Five species of marine turtles are found in Indian manuals are available at http://www.kachhapa.org. coastal waters and at least four have significant nesting Hard copies are available from the MCBT, Tamil Nadu. beaches and/or feeding areas. All are listed as Beach Management and hatchery programmes endangered under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Act - Provides information on beach management for the (1972) and in CITES. Many turtle populations in Indian and instructions on hatchery practices. There is a section coastal waters are seriously threatened, particularly the on the biology and identification of sea turtles. olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) population in Research and management techniques – Orissa, where over 100,000 turtles have drowned as Provides information on studying nesting turtles, nests incidental catch in the last ten years. Many factors need and hatchlings, tracing migratory routes, and studying to come together for the conservation of these species, behaviour and evolution. It details methods such as but none more than cooperation between agencies in tagging, genetics and telemetry and provides an account different states and sectors within the country. of sea turtle research resources. The Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile Bank Population Monitoring and Census - Provides Trust (MCBT) has prepared sea turtle conservation methods for intensive and extensive surveys on nesting manuals under the UNDP – Government of India sea beaches and foraging habitats, and secondary turtle project, for distribution to concerned individuals information from market surveys and interviews. In this and agencies, including the state forest and fisheries context, it provides details on identification of adults, departments, non government organizations and young hatchlings and tracks and a detailed method for counting researchers. The manuals are in English, but we hope turtles during arribadas. that they will eventually be translated into local Eco (turtle) Friendly Coastal Development – languages. The manuals are aimed at an Indian This manual deals with threats to coastal habitats such audience, but they are general enough for use as sand mining, beach armouring, plantations, highways, elsewhere, particularly in south and south east Asia. ports and harbours, and artificial illumination. It also The manuals have been reviewed by a panel of deals with offshore threats including pollution and international technical advisors, edited by Kartik Shanker fisheries, and with tourism. Some potential solutions for and designed by ECOTONE, Chennai. PDF files of all some of the problems such as lighting, are provided.
Announcement of Green Turtle Research Project, Entrecasteaux Reef, New Caledonia
New Caledonia provides various nesting areas for green turtle populations, and the biggest-known nesting population can be found to the extreme north of New Caledonia, 160 miles from the mainland. The region is Entrecasteaux Reef, and the island which is thought to be most active, in terms of nesting, is Ilot Huon (with a peak of ca. 80 nesting females per night). For the 2003/2004 nesting period, research will take place on Ilot Huon for 3 months, from October 12 to January 4. We will look at: population size; seasonal variations in nesting behaviour; nest temperatures and associated investigations into metabolic heating; hatchling sex-ratio estimates; hatchling success; post-nesting satellite tracking (also of 2 loggerheads, in collaboration with George Balazs of the National Marine Fisheries Service); genetic analysis (of greens and hawksbills, in collaboration with Scott Baker of the University of Auckland); diet and heavy-metal analysis (in collaboration with the University of Fiji). Such an extensive project has never been carried out on Ilot Huon, or in New Caledonia itself. This is the initial investigative study, with hopes to extend it into a longer-term study in the future. The project is funded by: Province Sud, Province Nord and Province des Iles Loyautés (the New Caledonian provincial governments), WWF, Falconbridge, Les grands Casino de Nouméa, SPREP, and NOAA; further funding is still required and currently being sourced. Anyone wishing to get involved in should contact: Vincent Liardet & Nicola Barnfather ASNNC, 12 Bd Vauban, BP 1772, 98845 Noumea E-mail [email protected] or [email protected])
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 25 Launch of website for the MoU on Indian Ocean and South-East Asian Marine Turtles
The official website of the Memorandum of Understanding on Indian Ocean and South-East Asian Marine Turtles (www.ioseaturtles.org) has been launched. The site promotes the exchange of information vital for the conservation of the region’s marine turtles, as well as the habitats on which they depend. Reporting of current news items, announcements and profiles of areas important for turtles will all be regular features on the site. An electronic library hosting hard-to-find regional literature, PowerPoint and poster presentations, and a database of ongoing projects will serve as useful resource tools for marine turtle conservationists and others. Extensive links to global, regional, national and local websites of direct or indirect relevance to marine turtle conservation quickly orient users to other sources of information. Naturally, the website is also the place to find official documents of the CMS/IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU, which now has 16 Signatory States spanning the Indian Ocean – South-East Asia region as well as the United States. Over time, the website will serve as a clearing house for all kinds of information on marine turtles of the IOSEA region and beyond. It will offer a unique perspective on the conservation activities being undertaken by Governments, NGOs, IGOs and other interested stakeholders of this vast region. At the same time, it will probe the issues and challenges confronting the long-term survival of these magnificent animals. Users are encouraged to link to the site, bookmark it and watch for regular updates. Feedback and contributions are welcomed. Douglas Hykle, Co-ordinator/Senior CMS Advisor, IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU Secretariat, c/o UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: +(662) 288 1471; Fax: +(662) 280 3829, (E-mail: [email protected],)
NEWS AND LEGAL BRIEFS
This section is compiled by Kelly Samek. You can submit news items at any time online at
AFRICA additional troops and gendarmes. But Alexandre Honore Paka, prefect of Kouilou, Conkouati’s administrative region, Massacre of Congo’s endangered wildlife continues is opposed to reinforced security measures in the park. In the eco-rich forests and savannas of western Congo Conkouati’s flourishing habitat is considered one of the poachers slaughter endangered wildlife with continued largest sites in the world for marine turtle nesting and egg impunity from local authorities. “Poachers massacre laying. Source: South Africa Mail & Guardian, 27 October elephants, gorillas and marine turtles which they sell at Pointe- 2003. Noire, where groups supported by political and administrative authorities are located,” Paul Elkan of the Wildlife THE AMERICAS Conservation Society (WCS) in Congo said last week during a meeting with Congo’s environment and forestry minister, Conservation Awards Honour Environmental Heroes Henri Djombo, and minister of the state, Isidore Mvouba. Dr. Karen Eckert was among the six winners honoured at the The US-based wildlife group had been managing Conkouati 49th annual ChevronTexaco Conservation Awards. As National Park, Congo’s most ecologically-diverse protected executive director of the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle land space, since 2000 until this August when it withdrew Conservation Network, Dr. Eckert’s remarkable efforts to save from the park after several attacks organised by the poachers. endangered sea turtles have resulted in an international Djombo announced the establishment of a management response involving nearly 40 governments, the United committee, including representatives from local populations, Nations, fellow scientists and conservationists. Source: to reinforce security on the protected land with the aid of Chevron press release, 30 September 2003.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 26 Shrimpers Complain about Harvest of Gulf Mud ‘Endangered’ Listing for Turtles is Rejected Newly installed devices required by the federal government Loggerhead sea turtles that nest from New Smyrna Beach to protect turtles have turned nets into backhoes and scooped north to the Carolinas don’t deserve separate listing as an up muck from the Gulf’s slick, silty floor, shrimpers said. endangered species, federal officials announced after a one- Federal officials say the problem has nothing to do with the year review. All loggerhead sea turtles will remain classified redesigned devices—the shrimpers’ nets simply don’t have as threatened, said officials with the National Marine Fisheries enough flotation devices to keep them off the murky floor, Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. However, the they say. Regulators are now allowing shrimpers to apply for evidence that there are distinct nesting subpopulations, loyal permits to make changes to use a flap that extends 12 to 24 to different geographical areas, may be important in future inches past the opening to prevent shrimp from escaping protection efforts. Attorneys with the environmental law firm through the turtles’ escape hole. Source: Mobile Register, 28 Earthjustice had lobbied to reclassify the northern loggerhead September 2003. population, whose range includes most of Volusia County, and the Panhandle population as distinct and endangered. Dismissal of Suit over Sea Turtles Upheld Source: Orlando Sentinel, 17 September 2003. An appeals court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit the Sierra Club had filed over gas drilling on Padre Island and its Good Turtle Nesting Summer Undercut by impact on endangered sea turtles. The Sierra Club had sued Number of Dead Interior Secretary Gale Norton, the U.S. National Park Service A good sea turtle nesting season on Carolinas beaches this and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and alleged that the summer has been partly offset by the number of the reptiles government failed to comply with a portion of the Endangered washing up dead. Nearly 400 stranded turtles, dead or Species Act when it adopted an oil and gas management seriously ill, were reported in North Carolina through August. plan for the Padre Island Seashore and granted BNP Petroleum The annual average over the past decade is 435. Additional Corp. a site-specific drilling permit. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court turtles typically die in fall, when water temperatures cool. of Appeals agreed that a lower court did not have jurisdiction Matthew Godfrey, sea turtle project coordinator for the N.C. and the Park Service did not act arbitrarily in informally Wildlife Resources Commission, said it’s hard to categorize consulting with the Fish and Wildlife Service before granting the causes of death. In South Carolina, 138 turtles—most of BNP site-specific well permits. Source: Associated Press, 28 them dead—washed up through August. Most dead turtles August 2003 in both states were loggerheads, the species most commonly found in Carolinas waters. Source: Charlotte Observer, 12 Shrimpers Ask for Review of New September 2003. Sea Turtle Protection Rules Gulf of Mexico shrimpers want the National Marine Fisheries Federal Appeals Court Rules Longline Fishery Service to review new regulations to protect endangered sea Violates Endangered Species Act turtles from getting caught in trawl nets because the rules The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the National hurt fishermen. Shrimpers had hoped to win a reprieve from Marine Fisheries Service, a federal agency charged with the new rules that require Gulf shrimpers to attach on their managing the nation’s fisheries, violated the Endangered nets larger turtle excluder devices, or TEDs, which act as Species Act by authorizing longline fishing off California escape hatches for turtles. Shrimpers have long complained without analyzing the fishery’s impacts on endangered sea that TEDs are disastrous because they let shrimp get out. turtles and seabirds. The Ninth Circuit reversed a previous A.J. Fabre, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association decision by a district court judge that no such analysis was said shrimpers are also considering to file a lawsuit to required. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought overturn the rules. Source: Associated Press, 21 August 2003. by Earthjustice on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network. Source: Earthjustice US Embargoes Costa Rican Shrimp for press release, 22 August 2003. Failure to Use TEDs The US State Department announced that Costa Rican shrimp Sea Turtle Hurt by Dogs on St. Croix Flown exports to the US will be banned until further notice, because to Florida for Help of Costa Rica’s failure to enforce its laws that requires shrimp A giant green sea turtle that was attacked by dogs when it fishers to use Turtle Excluder Devices. Apparently, Costa came ashore to dig a nest in the U.S. Virgin Islands was flown Rica failed an announced inspection by the US Departments to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon in the Florida Keys for of State and National Fisheries this summer. The US turtle- treatment, officials said. The 260 pound turtle suffered severe shrimp law (P.L. 101 162, section 609) requires nations who injuries to both eyes and its head when attacked September export shrimp to the US to use “comparable” sea turtle 8 night on a southwest beach in St. Croix. The turtle has lost protection measures US shrimpers are required to use, namely its right eye and may lose its left eye, hospital director Richie a turtle excluder device. Source: Turtle Island Restoration Moretti said. It suffered several wounds in the attack, but Network press release, 21 August 2003. did not suffer any life-threatening injuries. Source: Associated Press, 10 September 2003.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 27 ASIA Quick Action Saves Marine Turtle Eggs Quick interception by an enforcement officer from the Bali Turtles in Troubled Waters as Animal Trade Grows Fisheries Department following a tip-off has saved Three years ago, consumption of the turtle was decreasing endangered marine turtle eggs from ending up on the dining in Bali due to a police crackdown and a campaign by local table. The seller was caught red-handed inside one of the animal rights activists against the killing. The practice is now buildings in Beribi on October 4 before all the turtle eggs on the rise again. Earlier this year, police raided three ships were sold off. Three officers from the Brunei Museum carrying more than 250 turtles destined for Bali from other Department were alerted to confiscate the remaining 98 eggs parts of Indonesia—a sign, conservationists say, of the of which 42 eggs were already sold. The offender, a Brunei increasing demand for the meat. Turtle traders are fighting citizen, had confessed that the eggs were smuggled in from a back. In June, around 50 people armed with spears and neighbouring country. The Museums and Fisheries machetes punched and kicked a group of conservationists Departments will jointly and further investigate the matter. as they tried to research the trade on Bali. Source: Associated Source: Brunei Direct, 3 October 2003. Press, 8 October 2003. EUROPE Newshounds Fail to Outfox Readers with Turtle Scoop Reporters from the Miyazaki Nichi Nichi Shimbun faked an Turtles Lured to Disco Death in Greece October 2000 “scoop” story of a fox eating eggs laid by the Disco lights are luring baby turtles to their deaths on the protected loggerhead sea turtle, newspaper officials said, fringes of a Greek marine park in the Mediterranean Sea. admitting they were in the wrong. The faked article ran in the Environmentalists say that rare loggerhead turtles scramble Oct. 8, 2000 edition of the regional daily under the headline out at night from eggs in the sand on beaches in the west “Coastlines a perfect environment for raising foxes—a rare Greek island of Zakynthos and instinctively head for the glimpse of wildlife preying on turtle eggs.” When the foxes brightest horizon. Neon lights from discos and cafes along failed to turn up on the beach from the time when the team the back of the beach at Laganas, built for tourists who also started covering it in mid-July 2000 until about one month go for boat trips in the bay to try to spot turtles, are often later, team members started planting small chunks of ham in a fatally bright. Spin-offs of tourism, including jobs in remote trail leading toward cameras triggered by sensors they had areas, are often positive. But others—like disco lights in set up on the beach. Lured by the prospect of the ham, the Greece—can be a threat to the environment underpinning foxes overcame their camera-shyness and headed onto the the very rationale for a park. Source: Reuters, 5 September beach, where they were made out as predators of the eggs 2003. laid by the turtles. Source: Mainichi Daily News, 6 August 2003. Greece Faces EU Inspectors over 21 Cases of Alleged Violations No Respite for the Marine Turtle Environment and Public Works Ministry officials are today Marine turtles have never been prioritised in any agenda for due to face a delegation of visiting inspectors from the research or conservation since Bangladesh gained European Union’s environment directorate general seeking independence in 1971. Information available from a few explanations for 21 alleged violations of EU legislation on anecdotal notes was the only source of information. Scientific environmental protection. These include the operation of publications on marine turtles in Bangladesh are virtually the Athens landfill at Ano Liosia and of the biological waste absent. No systematic surveys or research on sea turtles treatment plant on the islet of Psyttaleia, the construction of was conducted until recently. The National Conservation an Athens tramline and protection of the loggerhead sea Strategy Implementation Project-1 under the Ministry of turtle. Source: Kathimerini, 30 October 2003. Environment & Forests (MOEF) conducted a study in St. Martin’s Island to develop a management plan for the St. OCEANIA Martin’s Island in 1997. As a follow-up of the management plan, the Government of Bangladesh financed a MOEF American Samoa Establishes Sea Turtle Sanctuary project titled ‘Conservation of Biodiversity, Marine Park In August 2003, Governor Togiola Tulafono issued an Establishment and Eco-tourism Development at St. Martin’s Executive Order (005-2003) to establish a sea turtle and marine Island’ from its own resources in 2000 and is expected to mammal sanctuary in the territorial waters of American Samoa. complete it by the year 2005. The project has released 2700 The main purpose of the sanctuary will be to increase public and 5680 ridley hatchlings in the Bay during 2000-01 and awareness that local populations of sea turtles and whales 2001-02 respectively. Source: New Age, 13 September 2003. are in jeopardy. The governor further noted that a regional conservation approach is needed due to the transboundary migrations of these species. Source: Samoa News, 5 August 2003.
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 28 RECENT PUBLICATIONS
This section is compiled by the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research (ACCSTR), University of Florida. The ACCSTR maintains the Sea Turtle On-line Bibliography: (http://accstr.ufl.edu/biblio.html).
It is requested that a copy of all publications (including technical reports and non-refereed journal articles) be sent to both:
1) The ACCSTR for inclusion in both the on-line bibliography and the MTN. Address: Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, PO Box 118525, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. 2) The editors of the Marine Turtle Newsletter to facilitate the transmission of information to colleagues submitting articles who may not have access to on-line literature reviewing services. RECENT PUBLICATIONS
AGUIRRE, A.A., T.M. O’HARA, T.R. SPRAKER & D.A. BELL, B.A., J.R. SPOTILA, F.V. PALADINO & R.D. REINA. JESSUP. 2002. Monitoring the health and conservation 2003. Low reproductive success of leatherback turtles, of marine mammals, sea turtles & their ecosystems. In: Dermochelys coriacea, is due to high embryonic mortality. A.A. Aguirre, R.S. Ostfeld, G.M. Tabor, C.A. House & Biological Conservation 115: 131-38. (Dept. of Bioscience M.C. Pearl (Eds.). Conservation Medicine - Ecological and Biotechnology, 3141 Chestnut St., Drexel University, Health in Practice, Oxford Univ. Press, New York. pp. 79- Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. E-mail: 94. (Columbia Univ, Wildlife Trust, 61 Route 9 W, [email protected]) Palisades, NY 10964 USA. E-mail: [email protected]) BENTIVEGNA, F., S. HOCHSCHEID & C. MINUCCI. 2003. Seasonal variability in voluntary dive duration of the AKESSON, S., A.C. BRODERICK, F. GLEN, B.J. GODLEY, P. Mediterranean loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta. Scientia LUSCHI, F. PAPI & G.C. HAYS. 2003. Navigation by green Marina 67: 371-75. (Stn Zool A Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, I- turtles: which strategy do displaced adults use to find 80121 Naples, Italy. E-mail: [email protected]) Ascension Island? Oikos 103: 363-72. (Dept. of Animal Ecology, Lund Univ, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, BOLTEN, A.B. & B.E. WITHERINGTON, Eds. 2003. Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]) Loggerhead Sea Turtles. Smithsonian Books, Washington, D.C. 319 pp. Available from Smithsonian ALVARADO-DIAZ, J., E. ARIAS-COYOTL & C. DELGADO- Books (www.sipress.si.edu or 1-800-233-4830). TREJO. 2003. Clutch frequency of the Michoacan Green Seaturtle. Journal of Herpetology 37: 183-85. (Univ CHOUDHURY, B.C. 2003. Editorial: TEDs in India: Michoacana San Nicolas Hidalgo, Inst Invest Sobre from conflict to consultation. Kachhapa 8: 1-2. Recursos Nat, JJ Tablada 700-4, Morelia 58090, (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) Michoacan, Mexico. E-mail: [email protected]) CONE, S.M. 2003. Article:V. The environment and the law: ANDREWS, H.V., S. KRISHNAN & P. BISWAS. 2002. the environment and the World Trade Organization. New Leatherback nesting in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. York Law School Journal of International & Comparative Kachhapa 6: 15-18. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) Law 22: 245-57.
ANDREWS, H. & K. SHANKER. 2002. A significant DAWSON, P. & M.R. BOOPENDRANATH. 2003. CIFT-TED: population of leatherback turtles in the Indian Ocean. Construction, installation and operation. Kachhapa 8: 5- Kachhapa 6: 19. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) 7. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/)
ANON. 2003. Australia acts to protect marine turtles. Marine DHARANI, S. 2003. Turtle conservation by local communities Pollution Bulletin 46: 1055-56. in Madras. Kachhapa 8: 22. (http://www.kachhapa.org/ newsletter/) AVENS, L., J. BRAUN-MCNEILL, S. EPPERLY & K.J. LOHMANN. 2003. Site fidelity and homing behavior in DIEZ, C. E. & R. P. VAN DAM. 2003. Sex ratio of an immature juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Marine hawksbill seaturtle aggregation at Mona Island, Puerto Biology 143: 211-20. (Univ N Carolina, Dept Biol, CB 3280, Rico. Journal of Herpetology 37: 533-37. (Dept. de Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA. E-mail: Recursos Naturales y Ambientales, P.O. Box 9066600, San [email protected]) Juan, PR 00906-6600, USA. E-mail: [email protected])
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 29 DONGRE, S.K.M. 2003. School education to support sea turtle HAYS, G.C., S. AKESSON, A.C. BRODERICK, F. GLEN, B.J. conservation: experiences from Goa and Orissa. Kachhapa GODLEY, F. PAPI & P. LUSCHI. 2003. Island-finding ability 8: 20-21. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) of marine turtles. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B - Biological Sciences 270: S5-S7. (Sch EKANAYAKE, E.M.L., T. KAPURUSINGHE, M.M. SAMAN Biol Sci, Univ. Wales Swansea, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK, E- & M.G.C. PREMAKUMARA. 2002. Estimation of the mail: [email protected]) number of leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting at the Godavaya turtle rookery in southern Sri Lanka HIRAYAMA, R. & H.Y. TONG. 2003. Osteopygis (Testudines: during the nesting season in the year 2001. Kachhapa 6: Cheloniidae) from the Lower Tertiary of the Ouled 13-14. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco. Palaeontology 46: 845-56 Part 5. (Teikyo Heisei Univ Technol, Fac Informat, GARDNER, S.C., M.D. PIER, R. WESSELMAN & J.A. Uruido 2289-23, Chiba 2900193, Japan. E-mail: JUAREZ. 2003. Organochlorine contaminants in sea [email protected]) turtles from the eastern Pacific. Marine Pollution Bulletin 46: 1082-89. (Ctr Invest Biol Noroeste SC, Mar Bermejo ISLAM, M.Z. 2002. Threats to sea turtles in St. Martin’s 195, Col Playa Palo Santa Rita, La Paz 23090, Baja California, Island, Bangladesh. Kachhapa 6: 8-12. ( http:// Mexico. E-mail: [email protected]) www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/)
GEIS, A., T. WIBBELS, B. PHILLIPS, Z. HILLIS-STARR, A. JAEGER, G.H., M.A. WOSAR, C.A. HARMS & G.A. MEYLAN, P. MEYLAN, C. DIEZ & R. VAN DAM. 2003. LEWBART. 2003. Use of a supraplastron approach to the Predicted sex ratio of juvenile hawksbill seaturtles coelomic cavity for repair of an esophageal tear in a inhabiting Buck Island Reef National Monument, US loggerhead sea turtle. Journal of the American Veterinary Virgin Islands. Journal of Herpetology 37: 400-404. (T. Medical Association 223: 353-55. Wibbels, Univ Alabama, Dept Biol, 1300 Univ. Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294 USA. E-mail: [email protected]) KEAR, B.P. 2003. Cretaceous marine reptiles of Australia: a review of taxonomy and distribution. Cretaceous GIRI, V. & N. CHATURVEDI. 2003. Status of marine turtles in Research 24: 277-303. S Australian Museum, Adelaide, Maharashtra, India. Kachhapa 8: 11-15. (http:// SA 5000, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]) www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) KITSOS, M.S., M. CHRISTODOULOU, S. KALPAKIS, M. GODFREY, M.H., V. DELMAS & M. GIRONDOT. 2003. NOIDOU & A. KOUKOURAS. 2003. Cirripedia Thoracica Assessment of patterns of temperature-dependent sex associated with Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) in the determination using maximum likelihood model selection. northern Aegean Sea. Crustaceana 76, Part 4: 403-9. Ecoscience 10: 265-72. (M. Girondot, Univ Paris 11, UMR (Aristotle Univ Thessaloniki, Dept Zool, Sch Biol, GR- 8079, BAT 362, F-91405 Orsay, France. E- 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. E-mail: mail:[email protected]) [email protected])
GODFREY, M. H. & M. PEDRONO. 2002. Guest Editorial: KUBOTA, R., T. KUNITO & S. TANABE. 2003. Occurrence Marine turtles: What about reintroduction? Kachhapa of several arsenic compounds in the liver of birds, No. 6: 3-7. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) cetaceans, pinnipeds & sea turtles. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 22: 1200-1207. (S. Tanabe, Ehime GREER, L.L., J.D. STRANDBERG & B.R. WHITAKER. 2003. Univ, Ctr Marine Environm Studies, Tarumi 3-5-7, Mycobacterium chelonae osteoarthritis in a Kemp’s ridley Matsuyama, Ehime 7908566, Japan. E-mail: sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii). Journal of Wildlife [email protected]) Diseases 39: 736-41. (Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA. E-mail: [email protected]) KURIAN, A. & V.N. NAYAK. 2003. Influence of environmental factors on the hatching success of olive ridley turtles: a GUILBEAUX, M. 2003. Sea turtles, their management & policy preliminary study. Kachhapa 8: 8-11. (http:// in the Republic of Palau: an assessment of stakeholder www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) perception. A Report of the Palau Conservation Society. Vo l. 1 & 2: 164 pp.(E-mail: [email protected]) LEWISON, R.L., L.B. CROWDER & D.J. SHAVER. 2003. The impact of turtle excluder devices and fisheries closures HARMS, C.A., K.M. MALLO, P.M. ROSS & A. SEGARS. on loggerhead and Kemp’s ridley strandings in the 2003. Venous blood gases and lactates of wild loggerhead western Gulf of Mexico. Conservation Biology 17: 1089- sea turtles (Caretta caretta) following two capture 97. (Duke Univ, Marine Lab, Nicholas Sch Environm & techniques. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39: 366-74. (Univ Earth Sci, 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd., Beaufort, NC 28516 N Carolina, Coll Vet Med, Ctr Marine Sci & Technol, Dept USA. E-mail: [email protected]) Clin Sci, 303 Coll. Circle, Morehead City, NC 28557 USA. E-mail: [email protected])
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 30 LUSCHI, P. 2003. Migration and conservation: The case of SULLIVAN, L.C., S. ORGEIG & C.B. DANIELS. 2003. The role sea turtles. In: M. Festa-Bianchet & M. Apollonio (Eds.). of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in the evolution of the Animal Behavior and Wildlife Conservation. Island Press, control of pulmonary surfactant maturation during Washington, D.C. pp. 49-61. (Univ Pisa, Dipartimento Etol development in the amniotes. Physiological and Ecol Evoluz, Via A. Volta 6, I-56126 Pisa, Italy. E-mail: Biochemical Zoology 76: 281-95. (C. B. Daniels, Univ. [email protected]) Melbourne, Dept. Microbiology & Immunology, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. E-mail: LUSCHI, P., G.R. HUGHES, R. MENCACCI, E. DE BERNARDI, [email protected]) A. SALE, R. BROKER, M. BOUWER & F. PAPI. 2003. Satellite tracking of migrating loggerhead sea turtles TANAKA, M. 2003. Bridging the gap between northern NGOs (Caretta caretta) displaced in the open sea. Marine and southern sovereigns in the trade-environment Biology 143: 793-801. (Address same as above) debate: the pursuit of democratic dispute settlements in the WTO under the Rio Principles. Ecology Law Quarterly SANKAR, O.B. & M.A. RAJU. 2003. Implementation of the 30: 113-88. Turtle Excluder Device in Andhra Pradesh. Kachhapa 8: 2-5. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) TOMAS, J., A. FORMIA, M. FERNANDEZ & J.A. RAGA. 2003. Occurrence and genetic analysis of a Kemp’s ridley SANTORA, C. 2003. Management of turtle bycatch: Can sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in the Mediterranean endangered species be protected while minimizing Sea. Scientia Marina 67: 367-69. (Cavanilles Research socioeconomic impacts? Coastal Management 31: 423- Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, 34. (New York Zoological Society, Wildlife Conservation University of Valencia, Aptdo. 22085, E-46071 Valencia, Int. Ocean Strategies Program, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, Spain. E-mail: [email protected]) NY 10460, USA. E-mail: [email protected]) TURKOZAN, O., E. TASKAVAK & C. ILGAZ. 2003. A review SCHARER, M.T. 2003. A survey of the epibiota of of the biology of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, Eretmochelys imbricata (Testudines : Cheloniidae) of at five major nesting beaches on the south-western Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Revista de Biologia Tropical Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Herpetological Journal 51: 87-90.(Univ Puerto Rico, Dept Marine Sci, Mayaguez, 13: 27-33. (E. Taskavak, Ege University, Faculty of PR 00681 USA. E-mail: [email protected]) Fisheries, Department of Fisheries, 35100-Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. E-mail:[email protected]) SHANKER, K. 2002. Where do all the hatchlings go? Kachhapa 6: 21. (http://www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) WORM, B., H.K. LOTZE & R.A. MYERS. 2003. Predator SHANKER, K. 2003. Thirty years of sea turtle conservation diversity hotspots in the blue ocean. Proceedings of the on the Madras coast: a review. Kachhapa 8: 16-19. (http:/ National Academy of Sciences 100: 9884-9888.(alhousie /www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) Univ, Dept Biol, Halifax, NS B3H 4J1, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]) SHANKER, K., B. PANDAV & B. C. CHOUDHURY. 2003. An assessment of the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys WRIGHT, B. & B. MOHANTY. 2002. Olive ridley mortality in olivacea) nesting population in Orissa, India. Biological gill nets in Orissa. Kachhapa 6: 20. (http:// Conservation 115: 149-60. (Centre for Herpetology/ www.kachhapa.org/newsletter/) Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Post Bag 4, Mamallapuram, WURSIG, B. & G.A. GAILEY. 2002. Marine mammals and Tamil Nadu, 603104, India. E-mail:[email protected]) aquaculture: Conflicts and potential resolutions. In R.R. Stickney & J.P. McVey (Eds.). Responsible Marine SOUTHWOOD, A.L., R.D. REINA, V.S. JONES & D.R. JONES. Aquaculture. CABI Pub., New York. pp. 45-59 (Texas A&M 2003. Seasonal diving patterns and body temperatures of Univ, Dept Marine Biol, 4700 Avenue U, Bldg. 303, juvenile green turtles at Heron Island, Australia. Canadian Galveston, TX 77551 USA). Journal of Zoology 81: 1014-24. (Univ. Hawaii Manoa, Joint Inst. of Marine and Atmospheric Research, 2570 Dole St., Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. E-mail: [email protected])
STACHOWITSCH, M. 2003. Research on intact marine ecosystems: a lost era. Marine Pollution Bulletin 46: 801- 5. (Univ Vienna, Dept Marine Biol, Inst Ecol & Conservat Biol, Althanstr. 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. E-mail: [email protected])
Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 31 TECHNICAL REPORTS
MEDASSET. 2003. Update report on marine turtle OROS, J., A. TORRENT, F. AGUIRRE & J. BRICHIS. 2003. conservation in Zakynthos (Laganas Bay), 2003, Greece. Protocolo de necropsia en tortugas marinas. Unidad de Council of Europe T-PVS/Files (2003) 13: 19. (MEDASSET, Histologia y Anatomia Patologica Veterinaria, Facultad 1c Licavitou St., 106 72 Athens, Greece. E-mail: de Veterinaria ULPGC. In Spanish in VCD-CD format. (E- [email protected]) mail at: [email protected].
MEDASSET & M. AUREGGI. 2003. Update report and review SEMINOFF, J.A., Compiler. 2003. Proceedings of the Twenty of nature conservation measures in Patara Spa, 2003, Second Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Turkey. Council of Europe T-PVS/Files (2002) 12: 25. Conservation. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS- (Address same as above) SEFSC-503: 308 pp. (Available online at
THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
MARTIN, C. 2003. The behaviour of free-living marine turtles: Venezuela.]. Licenciado En Biología Thesis, underwater activities, migrations & seasonal occurrences. Departamento de Biologia, Facultad Experimental de Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Wales, Swansea, U.K. Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela. 190 pp. (E-mail: [email protected]) 154 pp. (E-mail: [email protected])
PARRA MONTES DE OCA, L.I. 2002. Diagnostico de la WHITING, S.D. 2001. The ecology of immature green and situacion actual de las poblaciones de tortugas marinas hawksbill turtles foraging on two reef systems in north- en la costa occidental del Golfo de Venezuela, Estado western Australia. Ph.D. Dissertation. Northern Territory Zulia. [Diagnosis of the current status of the populations University, Darwin, Australia. 372 pp. of sea turtles in the western coast of the Gulf of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 103, 2004 - Page 32 INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS
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