Sea Turtles in the East Pacific Ocean Region IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Annual Regional Report 2019 Editors Juan M. Rguez-Baron, Shaleyla Kelez, Michael Liles, Alan Zavala-Norzagaray, Olga L. Torres-Suárez, Diego F. Amorocho, Alexander R. Gaos Photo: Olive ridley (RMU LO-EPO) at Ostional, Costa Rica Photo credit: Roderic Mast Recommended citation for this report: Rguez-Baron J.M., Kelez S., Lilies M., Zavala-Norzagaray A., Torres-Suárez O.L., Amorocho D., Gaos A. (Eds.) (2019). Sea Turtles in the East Pacific Region: MTSG Annual Regional Report 2019. Draft Report of the IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, 2019. Recommended citation for a chapter of this report: AUTHORS (2019). CHAPTER-TITLE. In: Rguez-Baron J.M., Kelez S., Lilies M., Zavala- Norzagaray A., Torres-Suárez O.L., Amorocho D., Gaos A. R. (Eds.). Sea Turtles in the East Pacific Region: MTSG Annual Regional Report 2019. Draft Report of the IUCN- SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, 2019. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS REGIONAL OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................ 7 1. RMU Dermochelys coriacea (DC-EPO) ....................................................................................... 8 1.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ........................................................................................................... 8 1.2. Other biological data ............................................................................................................................. 8 1.3. Threats .................................................................................................................................................. 8 1.4. Conservation ......................................................................................................................................... 9 1.5. Research ................................................................................................................................................ 9 2. RMU Eretmochelys imbricata (EI-EPO) ...................................................................................... 9 2.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ........................................................................................................... 9 2.2. Other biological data ............................................................................................................................. 9 2.3. Threats ................................................................................................................................................ 10 2.4. Conservation ....................................................................................................................................... 10 2.5. Research .............................................................................................................................................. 10 3. RMU Chelonia mydas (CM-EPO) ............................................................................................. 10 3.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ......................................................................................................... 10 3.2. Other biological data ........................................................................................................................... 11 3.3. Threats ................................................................................................................................................ 11 3.4. Conservation ....................................................................................................................................... 11 3.5. Research .............................................................................................................................................. 11 4. RMU Lepidochelys olivacea (LO-EPO) ..................................................................................... 11 4.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ......................................................................................................... 11 4.2. Other biological data ........................................................................................................................... 12 4.3. Threats ................................................................................................................................................ 12 4.4. Conservation ....................................................................................................................................... 12 4.5. Research .............................................................................................................................................. 12 5. RMU Caretta caretta (CC-EPO) ............................................................................................... 12 5.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ......................................................................................................... 12 5.2. Other biological data ........................................................................................................................... 12 5.3. Threats ................................................................................................................................................ 12 5.4. Conservation ....................................................................................................................................... 13 5.5. Research .............................................................................................................................................. 13 MEXICO ................................................................................................................................. 18 EL SALVADOR ........................................................................................................................ 42 NICARAGUA .......................................................................................................................... 62 COSTA RICA ........................................................................................................................... 79 General remarks ............................................................................................................................. 79 1. RMU Dermochelys coriacea, Eastern Pacific Ocean (DC-EPO) ...................................................... 81 1.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ................................................................................................................. 81 1.2. Other biological data .................................................................................................................................. 82 1.3. Threats ........................................................................................................................................................ 82 1.4. Conservation .............................................................................................................................................. 84 1.5. Research ..................................................................................................................................................... 86 3 2. RMU Chelonia mydas, Eastern Pacific Ocean (CM-EPO) ............................................................... 86 2.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ................................................................................................................. 86 2.2. Other biological data .................................................................................................................................. 89 2.3. Threats ........................................................................................................................................................ 89 2.4. Conservation .............................................................................................................................................. 90 2.5. Research ..................................................................................................................................................... 90 3. RMU: Lepidochelys olivacea, Eastern Pacific Ocean (LO-EPO) ...................................................... 91 3.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ................................................................................................................. 91 3.2. Other biological data .................................................................................................................................. 93 3.3. Threats ........................................................................................................................................................ 93 3.4. Conservation .............................................................................................................................................. 94 3.5. Research ..................................................................................................................................................... 94 4. RMU: Eretmochelys imbricata, Eastern Pacific Ocean (EI-EPO) .................................................... 95 4.1. Distribution, abundance, trends ................................................................................................................. 95 4.2. Other biological data .................................................................................................................................. 96