Biological Opinion: 10(a)(1)(A) permit for Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehab ii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................v INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................1 CONSULTATION HISTORY ........................................................................................................1 BIOLOGICAL OPINION ................................................................................................................2 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION ...............................................................2 1.1. Wild Turtle Rescue ..........................................................................................................2 1.1.1. Rescue operations: ...............................................................................................2 1.1.2. Rehabilitation operations: ....................................................................................2 1.1.3. Release operations: ..............................................................................................3 1.1.4. Display for Educational Purposes ........................................................................3 1.1.5. Veterinary Care /Research ...................................................................................3 1.1.6. Tagging/Tracking Research .................................................................................3 1.1.7. Non-essential media operations ...........................................................................4 1.2. Salvage .............................................................................................................................4 1.2.1. Collection/Storage................................................................................................4 1.3. Captive Green Sea Turtle Release ...................................................................................4 2. ACTION AREA...................................................................................................................5 3. ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE JEOPARDY DETERMINATIONS .............5 4. STATUS OF THE SPECIES ...............................................................................................6 4.1. Green Sea Turtle ..............................................................................................................6 4.1.1. Taxonomy and Species Description.....................................................................6 4.1.2. Listing Status .......................................................................................................8 4.1.3. Distribution ..........................................................................................................9 4.1.4. Habitat Description ............................................................................................10 4.1.5. Threats................................................................................................................12 4.1.6. Recovery Plan Delisting Criteria .......................................................................13 4.1.7. Recovery Actions ...............................................................................................13 4.1.8. Population ..........................................................................................................14 4.2. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle .................................................................................................15 4.2.1. Taxonomy and Species Description...................................................................15 4.2.2. Listing Status .....................................................................................................17 4.2.3. Historic and Current Distribution ......................................................................18 4.2.4. Habitat Description ............................................................................................20 4.2.5. Threats................................................................................................................21 4.2.6. Recovery Plan Delisting Criteria .......................................................................22 4.2.7. Recovery Actions ...............................................................................................22 4.2.8. Population ..........................................................................................................24 4.3. Loggerhead Turtle, North Pacific DPS ..........................................................................25 4.3.1. Taxonomy and Species Description...................................................................26 4.3.2. Listing Status .....................................................................................................30 4.3.3. Historic and Current Distribution ......................................................................31 4.3.4. Habitat Description ............................................................................................33 4.3.5. Threats................................................................................................................34 Biological Opinion: 10(a)(1)(A) permit for Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehab iii 4.3.6. Recovery Plan Delisting Criteria .......................................................................37 4.3.7. Recovery Actions ...............................................................................................37 4.3.8. Population ..........................................................................................................38 4.4. Leatherback Sea Turtle ..................................................................................................38 4.4.1. Taxonomy and Species Description...................................................................38 4.4.2. Listing Status .....................................................................................................41 4.4.3. Historic and Current Distribution ......................................................................42 4.4.4. Habitat Description ............................................................................................43 4.4.5. Threats................................................................................................................44 4.4.6. Recovery Plan Delisting Criteria .......................................................................45 4.4.7. Recovery Actions ...............................................................................................46 4.4.8. Population ..........................................................................................................47 4.5. Hawksbill Sea Turtle......................................................................................................50 4.5.1. Taxonomy and Species Description...................................................................50 4.5.2. Listing Status .....................................................................................................50 4.5.3. Historic and Current Distribution ......................................................................50 4.5.4. Habitat Description ............................................................................................52 4.5.5. Threats................................................................................................................53 4.5.6. Recovery Plan Delisting Criteria .......................................................................54 4.5.7. Recovery Actions ...............................................................................................55 4.5.8. Population ..........................................................................................................55 5. ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE.....................................................................................56 5.1. Status of Species in the Action Area ..............................................................................56 5.1.1. Green Sea Turtle ...............................................................................................57 5.1.2. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle .....................................................................................59 5.1.3. Loggerhead Sea Turtle .......................................................................................60 5.1.4. Leatherback Sea Turtle ......................................................................................60 5.1.5. Hawksbill Sea Turtle..........................................................................................61 5.2. Factors Affecting the Species’ Environment Within the Action Area ..........................61 5.2.1. All sea turtles .....................................................................................................61 5.2.2. Green Sea Turtle ................................................................................................67 5.2.3. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle .....................................................................................69 5.2.4. Loggerhead Sea Turtle .......................................................................................70