issue number 119 january 2008 - sea turtle

Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 119, 2008 -

Issue Number 119 January 2008

ISSN 0839-7708

IN THIS ISSUE:Articles: Directional Locomotion in a Turtle Barnacle, Chelonibia testudinaria, on Green Turtles.....................J. Moriarty et al.Sea Turtle Bycatch by Cerco-fixo in Cananéia Lagoon Estuarine Complex, São Paulo, Brazil..........S.M. Nagoka et al.Marine Turtle Nest Translocation Due to Hurricane Threat on Réunion Island.......................................S. Ciccone et al.Loggerheads off Ecuador: Occurrence, Distribution and Bycatch from the Eastern Pacific Ocean..................J.J. Alava

Notes:A Stranded Leatherback Sea Turtle in the Northeastern Mediterranean, Hatay, Turkey........................ B. Sönmez et al.Preliminary Study on Sea Turtles in Bintan Island, Riau Archipelago, Indonesia....................................C. Winata et al.Green Turtle Tag Recovery Further Links Northern Brazil to the Caribbean Region......................E.H.S.M. Lima et al.

Book ReviewsIUCN-MTSG Quarterly Report Meeting Report News & Legal Briefs Recent Publications

3-D reconstructed computed tomography image of Snow, a juvenile loggerhead turtle being treated for boat-strike injuries at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, North Carolina, USA (http://www.seaturtlehospital.org/snow.html). Image reconstruction by Christine Poindexter, North Carolina State University, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Radiology Service.

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Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 119, 2008 - Page 1

Directional Locomotion in a Turtle Barnacle, Chelonibia testudinaria, on Green Turtles, Chelonia mydas

Julia E. Moriarty1, Jerome A. Sachs2 & Kirstin Jones1

1Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, Boca Raton, Florida, 33432, USA (E-mail: [email protected])2Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA

The coronuloid barnacle Chelonibia testudinaria is a common commensal of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) (Bugoni et al. 2001; Pereira et al. 2006). Studies suggest that barnacles like C. testudinaria receive benefits by attaching to motile hosts that are not typical to barnacles attached to immobile substrates, e.g., increased survival, foraging, and dispersal (Pfaller et al. 2006). These benefits, however, are undoubtedly dependent upon the barnacle’s ability to attach and remain anchored to a suitable host throughout its lifespan (Caine 1986).

Logan & Morreale (1994) demonstrated that sea turtles possess hydrofoil design elements that maximize laminar flow and minimize drag over their surfaces. Because water flow velocity is greatest over the anterior and vertebral regions of the carapace, one would assume these areas to be more desirable locations for filter-feeding barnacles to settle, in order to increase their feeding potential. Several studies have illustrated concentrations of C. testudinaria in this region of the carapace (Caine 1986; Matsuura & Nakamura 1993; Frick et al. 1998; Schärer 2003; Pfaller et al. 2006), and it has been presumed they preferentially settle there. However, studies of the shore barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite, a common epibiont of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the southeastern U.S. (Pfaller et al. 2006), show that its cyprid larvae actively settle or move into areas of moderate albeit not high water flow (Crisp 1955; Mullineaux & Butman 1991). Barnacles in the lower flow posterior and marginal regions of the carapace do not experience the same foraging potential as barnacles that have settled in areas of greater water flow. It is advantageous for a barnacle to be able to respond to stimuli, such as current or water velocity, in its environment. Some adult sessile barnacles possess the ability to reorient by rotating on their basis, or to be moved short distances by lateral pressure of a neighbor. On the other hand, some pedunculate barnacles, such as Capitulum mitella and Pollicipes pollicipes, can relocate by extending their peduncles down the bodies of conspecifics on which they had settled to the substratum (Hoffman 1989; Kugele & Yule

2000). Here we report that C. testudinaria is capable of substantial post-settlement locomotion, generally from areas of relatively low to higher current flow.

Observations of three juvenile green turtles were made from 2003-2006 on a near-shore rocky hard bottom off of Boca Raton, Florida, in waters between 1 and 6 meters deep. A Sony Cybershot P-73 4.1 mega pixel digital camera was used to take a time series of photographs of the turtles. Individual turtles were identified by scute arrangements on the head, carapace, and flippers, and from shell anomalies and deformations.

Casual inspection of the photographs indicated that the barnacles were moving on the carapace of these turtles over a period of months. To investigate this, we assembled a series of photographs for each of the three turtles. An in-water estimate of turtle carapace length (straight length) was made and all subsequent measurements are relative to that measurement. We measured the time period (in days) between photographs and calculated the barnacle movement rate by measuring the change in position of the barnacle from the preceding photograph (Table 1; Figure 1). To avoid scaling issues between photographs, we determined the location of each barnacle throughout the series by comparing the center point of the barnacle to the adjacent scute margins. These points were plotted onto the first image in each movement sequence. The three composite images were analyzed using Image J photo processing software, where we measured the carapace length and the relative change in position of the center of each barnacle. Simple linear regression was used to find out if initial barnacle diameter predicts movement rate. Barnacle mortality was determined by the disappearance of barnacles. Daily survival rates were calculated using DSR=1-(#deaths/#animal days).

Average barnacle movement rate varied from 1.4 to 0.27 mm per day throughout several time periods (Table 1). The average movement of barnacles on turtle # 3 increased and then decreased as the year progressed from January to May (Fig. 1). Barnacle

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Average SD17 Jan- 17 Feb 1.07 0.7 1.15 0.97 0.6 0.68 1.01 0.68 0.7 0.84 0.21

18 Feb- 15 March 0.64 0.58 1.41 1.01 - - 0.92 0.95 1.16 0.95 0.29

16 March- 9 April 0.59 0.27 0.76 0.92 - - 1.09 - 0.7 0.72 0.28

10 April- 6 May 0.55 - 0.71 0.7 - - 0.62 - 0.65 0.64 0.06

Table 1. Summary of movement rates (mm*d-1) of 9 individual Chelonibia barnacles on a green turtle (#3) for each time period.


diameter was not a significant predictor of movement rate (p = 0.38, R2 = 0.036).

Barnacles on turtles # 1 and # 2 moved anteriorly and medially (Fig. 2A & 2B). Eighty-eight percent (n=8) of barnacles on turtle # 3 (n = 11; Figure 2C) relocated to a more anterior position on the carapace. Of those, 87.5% (n=8) relocated medially and 12.5% (n=8) moved laterally (Fig. 2C). All eight of the barnacles that moved anteriorly on turtle # 3 deviated in direction no more than ± 61º from the longitudinal axis of the barnacle (bearing 0º corresponding with the anterior end of the turtle) (Table 2). Of the barnacles on turtle # 3, 55% experienced mortality during the 110 day observation period - resulting in a 0.992 daily survival rate. Out of the four barnacles that were positioned on the marginal scutes of turtle # 3 (Fig. 2C), 75% experienced mortality. Two deaths occurred during the first time period so no movement was recorded for these individuals (Barnacle #’s 10 & 11; Fig. 2C).

A turtle’s swimming motion and shape causes water to flow over the carapace in a manner that minimizes recruitment of epibionts, especially in the high flow anterior region (Logan & Morreale 1994). The lower shear stress environment on the posterior region of the carapace increases the likelihood for cyprid settlement to occur

(Mullineaux & Butman 1991); however, these individuals are in a less optimum position for feeding as they experience turbulence caused both by the shape of the shell as well as other epibionts located anteriorly. Micro-eddies created by adjacent epibionts would alter flow direction (Pfaller et al. 2006). In addition, barnacles located posteriorly to other barnacles may receive less particulate matter as it may be consumed before it reaches them. The high incidence of anterior and medial repositioning of C. testudinaria indicates that the barnacles are actively seeking an alternative, presumably more favorable attachment site as they grow. Thus, while differential recruitment may still be a factor in initial settlement (Pfaller et al. 2006), it apparently is not the sole factor influencing the survival of C. testudinaria.

Barnacles #5 and #8 on turtle #3 displayed movement patterns not observed in the other turtles. Barnacle #5 moved posteriorly while barnacle #8, which was positioned only a few mm behind #5 moved laterally instead of medially (Fig. 2C). It is possible that turbulence from adjacent barnacles disrupted the stimulus (e.g. water flow) that directs repositioning, resulting in movement. However, additional observations of barnacle movement patterns on other turtles will be needed to determine the cause of this unusual movement.

Figure 2C demonstrates that barnacles change location relative to other individuals on the same scute, thus moving independently of each other. Individuals frequently move across several scutes. As

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

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1.2

1.3A

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17 Jan- 17 Feb

18 Feb- 15 March

16 March- 9 April

10 April- 6 May

Figure 1. Change in average movement rate per day of Chelonibia testudinaria on green turtle #3 from January to May 2005, with standard deviations.

Figure 2. Diagram showing the position of Chelonibia testudinaria on the carapace of green turtles # 1 (A), # 2 (B), and # 3 (C) as dark circles. Arrows indicate relocation to the subsequent position by the start of the next time period. An “X” indicates that the barnacle died by the beginning of the subsequent time period.

Bearing (º) 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9Date17 Jan- 17 Feb 335 306 348 16 26 337 299 1518 Feb- 15March 352 2 356 16 - 334 331 5116 March- 9April 323 338 8 7 - 332 - 1110 April- 6May 299 - 315 9 - 312 - 12Table 2. Directional movement of individual barnacles on green turtle #3. Each point indicates the bearing at which Chelonibia testudinaria traveled during each time period. 0º bearing indicates anterior movement.


scutes grow and are periodically shed, small barnacles not in sutures, and individuals mostly attached to areas being shed, are lost in the process. This is evidently not a significant cause of mortality in large individuals, which are more frequently knocked off of the turtle’s carapace by their rubbing against reef structures (Frick & McFall 2007). Because the rate at which barnacles relocate is not sufficient to escape removal by the host turtle, barnacle movement is not thought to avoid self-grooming by turtles. However, since barnacles can move substantial distances, “barnacle pattern documentation” might not be a feasible means by which to identify individual sea turtles, even over a relatively short time-span.

Gray locomotion trails of C. testudinaria indicate the direction and distance traveled by the barnacle (Fig. 3). It appears C. testudinaria leaves behind a cementing substance similar to that described by Kugele & Yule (1993) when the barnacle Pollicipes pollicipes relocates. Pollicipes moves by base extension in a directional manner via cementing of the leading edge (rostrum) while simultaneously sloughing the trailing edge (carina). Muscular activity is not believed to be involved. However, Kugele & Yule (2000) demonstrated that Capitulum barnacles move quite differently. While sloughing is believed to account for the release of the trailing edge, the leading edge appears to advance via muscular activity.

Certain balanomorph barnacles, like Semibalanus balanoides, can be induced to move laterally short distances by applying pressure to one side (Crisp & Bourget 1985). It has a membranous basis like C. testudinaria and its wall is held down to the basis by fibrils canting inward at about 40°. Each fibril includes a contractile

portion which relaxes during each growth increment (Gutmann 1960). Chelonibia testudinaria likely grows in the same fashion. If so, the process provides a plausible hypothesis for locomotion in C. testudinaria. In other words, unequal contraction of the fibrils immediately following each growth increment, with minimal tension at the trailing or carinal end and maximum tension at the leading or rostral end of the animal, advances the shell forward with each growth increment. For examples of sequential photos depicting barnacle movements on turtles 1, 2 and 3, please see www.seaturtle.org/cgi-bin/imagelib/index.pl?cat=500&user=10220&thumb=1.

Acknowledgements: We thank William A. Newman of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography for his time, enthusiasm and invaluable assistance with this manuscript. Also, many thanks to Mike Frick for his editing and formatting help, Dana Bethea for her comments on an earlier version of this paper, and Kirt Rusenko for his encouragement and leadership of the Boca Raton Sea Turtle Program. We thank the two anonymous reviewers whose comments helped to greatly improve this manuscript.

BUGONI, L., L. KRAUSE, A.O. de ALMEIDA & A. PáDUA BUENO. 2001. Commensal barnacles of sea turtles in Brazil.2001. Commensal barnacles of sea turtles in Brazil. Marine Turtle Newsletter 94: 7-9.

CAINE, E.A. 1986. Carapace epibionts of nesting loggerhead sea turtles: Atlantic coast of U.S.A. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology 95: 15-26.

CRISP, D. J. 1955. The behaviour of barnacle cyprids in relation to water movement over a surface. Journal of Experimental Biology 32: 569-590.

CRISP, D.J. & E. BOURGET 1985. Growth in barnacles. Advances in Marine Biology 22: 199-244.

FRICK, M.G., K.L. WILLIAMS & M. ROBINSON. 1998. Epibionts associated with nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in Georgia, USA. Herpetological Review 29: 211-214.

FRICK, M.G. & G. McFALL. 2007. Self-grooming by loggerhead turtles in Georgia, USA. Marine Turtle Newsletter 118: 15.

GUTMANN, W. F. 1960. Funktionelle morphologie von Balanus balanoides. Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges. 500:1-43.

HOFFMAN, D. L. 1989. Settlement and recruitment patterns of a pedunculate barnacle, Pollicipes polymerus Sowerby, off La Jolla, California. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology 125: 83-98.

IMAGE J. 2007. Image Analysis Tool, version 1.37. Wayne Rasband. National Institutes of Health, USA. http://rsb.info.http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/

KUGELE, M., & A. B. YULE. 1993. Mobility in lepadomorph barnacles. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 73: 719-722.

KUGELE, M., & A. B. YULE. 2000. Active relocation in lepadomorph barnacles. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 80, 103-111.

LOGAN, P. & S. J. MORREALE. 1994. Hydrodynamic drag characteristics of juvenile L. kempi, C. mydas, and C. caretta. In: B. A. Schroeder & B. E. Witherington (Comps.). Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. NOAA-Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFSC-341, pp. 248-252.

MATSUURA, I. & K. NAKAMURA. 1993. Attachment pattern of the turtle barnacle Chelonibia testudinaria on carapace of nesting loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 59: 1803.

Figure 3. Green turtle # 1 bearing the gray locomotion trail of a relocated Chelonibia testudinaria.


MULLINEAUX, L. S. & C. A. BUTMAN. 1991. Initial contact, exploration and attachment of barnacle (Balanus amphitrite) cyprids settling in flow. Marine Biology. 110: 93-103.Marine Biology. 110: 93-103.

PEREIRA, S., E.H.S.M. LIMA, L. ERNESTO, H. MATTHEWS & A. VENTURA. 2006. Epibionts associated with2006. Epibionts associated with Chelonia mydas from Northern Brazil. Marine Turtle Newsletter 111: 17-18.

PFALLER, J.B., K.A. BJORNDAL, K.J. REICH, K.L. WILLIAMS & M.G. FRICK. 2006. Distribution patterns of epibionts on the carapace of loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta. JMBA2-Biodiversity Records. http://www.mba.ac.uk/jmba/pdf/5381.pdf

Sea Turtle Bycatch by Cerco-fixo in Cananéia Lagoon Estuarine Complex, São Paulo, Brazil

Shany Mayumi Nagaoka1, Ana Cristina Vigliar Bondioli1,2 & Emygdio Leite de Araujo Monteiro-Filho1,3 1Marine Instituto de Pesquisas Cananéia (IPeC), Rua Tristão Lobo, 199 Centro, 11990-000, Cananéia, SP, Brazil (E-mail:shanyna-

[email protected]); 2Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; 3Departamento de Zoologia da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil

The lagoon estuarine complex of Cananéia (25oS; 48oW) is located in the southern portion of São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil (Fig. 1). It falls within a larger protected area proclaimed a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. It contains part of the last remains of the original Atlantic Forest that have great biodiversity. The long estuarine system has a muddy bottom and relatively turbid waters (Schaeffer-Novelli et al. 1990). It is surrounded by large areas of mangrove and contains high concentrations of nutrients, zooplankton, shrimp, and fish (Besnard 1950; Schaeffer-Novelli et al. 1990). These features, together with large beds of seagrasses and algae along the estuary, provide ideal foraging habitat for sea turtles.

In the Cananéia lagoon estuarine complex, intensive fishery activities can be divided into two categories: the industrial or offshore fishery and the artisanal or inshore (lake estuarine) fishery (Mendonça 1998). The artisanal fishery employs the use of various fishing gears; however, the fixed fence trap, known locally as cerco-fixo, is the most frequently used and is socially and economically important in the region. The cerco-fixo dates back more than fifty years along the entire lagoon estuary, and currently more than 90 traps are set in the region (Mendonça 1998). This gear targets mullets (Mugil platanus) and many other fish species (Dias

1990; Ramos et al. 1980). The cerco-fixo is placed perpendicular to the estuary borders and is comprised of three main parts: espia, ganchos and casa-de-peixe (Fig. 2). The espia is a fence that runs perpendicular to the shore and acts as a lead by conducting fish along into the ganchos and the casa-de-peixe. The ganchos and casa-de-peixe are enclosed areas where captured fish remain until they are removed by fishermen. The fish removal or despesca is accomplished periodically, usually once or twice per week. It is done at least by 2 fishermen who drag a smaller net inside the casa-de-peixe.

Unlike from the pound nets found in inshore waters along the east coast of the United States that are made with fiber netting (Epperly 1995; Mansfield 2006), cercos-fixos are constructed with vegetal material such as trees, palms and bamboos. Oliveira (2007) noted that the cerco-fixo fishermen (cerqueiros) are familiar with a great variety of Atlantic Forest plant species that are suitable for this kind of use; the species from the botanical family Myrtaceae appeared to be the most commonly used material for construction.

In addition to fish, juvenile sea turtles are often captured in cercos-fixos (Nagaoka et al., 2005). It remains unclear whether the sea turtle captures are incidental or the result of the turtles searching for food. Captured turtles remain unharmed and stay inside the cerco-fixo until they are released by the fishermen. This situation presents a great opportunity to collect scientific data prior to releasing them. An important observation is that the sea turtles caught in cerco-fixo do not suffer injuries or lethal entanglement risks during the despesca due the small mesh size used (3 – 4.5cm). The similarity between cerco-fixo and pound net is that both have the potential to provide means of systematically studying an in-water sea turtle population (Epperly 1995). However, entanglement in large mesh pound net leaders is a threat to sea turtles in Virginia, USA (Mansfield 2006).

Since 2003, we have been working with cerqueiros on different islands of Cananéia lagoon estuarine complex, including Ilha de Cananéia, Ilha do Cardoso, Ilha da Casca and Ilha Comprida, to monitor and record incidentally captured sea turtles. The turtles captured were measured (curved carapace length - CCL and curved carapace width - CCW), weighed and tagged with inconel tags (No. 681, National Band & Tag Co., USA) on both front flippers.

Figure 1. Study area and the main location of the cercos-fixos monitored.


For each turtle, we photographed the entire body including the post-orbital scales for a photo-identification study in additionally any abnormalities observed. We also collected tissue samples for genetic analyses and epibionts. Following this, the turtles were released.

From October 2004 through July 2007, 163 juveniles green turtles (Chelonia mydas) (mean CCL = 37.7cm ± 3.55SD, mean CCW = 34.3cm ± 3.57SD and mean weight = 5.9kg ± 2.06SD) were captured in 14 cercos-fixos (Table 1). The capture location for 14 turtles were unknown, because the turtles had been relocated by fishermen to pools in Parque Estadual Ilha do Cardoso (Cardoso Island State Park) when we were not present. Following data collection, these 14 turtles were released immediately, except for four that needed some veterinary care. Over the duration of the study, 7 green turtles have been recaptured.

Due to logistic problems, the monitoring of cercos-fixos was sporadic, hindering estimates of catch per unit effort. Although our reported number of incidental captures in southern São Paulo is smaller than the >350 turtles per year captured incidentally by coastal fisheries in the northern coast of São Paulo (Gallo et al. 2006), our data nevertheless suggest that this is an important foraging area for juvenile green turtles. The size of green turtles encountered in our study (small juveniles) is consistent with the size class of turtles incidentally captured by pound nets in estuarine areas of North Carolina (Epperly et al. 2007), and slightly larger than the mean size of green turtles captured in northern São Paulo (Gallo et al. 2006). Small juvenile green turtles are commonly observed in coastal waters due to the foraging strategy of this size class (Mortimer 1982).

The highest number of individuals observed was in Ilha do Cardoso. This may have been due to better foraging conditions and/or increased fishing effort there. In addition, in our experience the greatest collaboration with fishers occurred in Ilha do Cardoso, which may have also facilitated greater efficiency of the data collection. Studies are underway to verify the extent of seagrass beds or other potential forage for green turtles in this location.

The recapture of seven out of tagged 163 individuals suggests that there is a considerable number of sea turtles transiting through and/or using the region for feeding and development. Indeed, some turtles are residents for at least several months, as we recaptured one individual 3 times in a nine month period. Also, we necropsied 13 dead stranded turtles found during monitoring of Ilha Comprida

beach and observed seagrasses, algae and mangrove seeds in the gastrointestinal contents.

Overall, the frequent occurrence of green turtles in cerco-fixos has created an ideal means for monitoring these animals and their status in the study area, particularly because incidental capture in this gear is neither lethal nor harmful to the turtles. We intend to conduct studies on identifying the home ranges of juvenile green turtles, cataloguing critical foraging areas in the region, evaluating their feeding ecology, investigating the genetics of possible hybrids and to continuing the monitoring of incidentally captured sea turtles in the cercos-fixos. Most importantly, the support and collaboration of cercos-fixo fishermen is crucial to the collection of data by researchers.

Acknowledgements: This study was supported in part by funds from the PADI Foundation. We are grateful to Projeto TAMAR for providing the flipper tags, Natalia Bahia and Barbara De Loreto for fieldwork assistance and Karin Monteiro, Krista Fisk, Kerstin Kalchmayr and Matthew Godfrey for the English review and suggestions. License COTEC PROCESSO COTEC PROCESSO SMA Nº 40.607/2002 and license IBAMA/SISBIO 12711-1/2007. Moreand license IBAMA/SISBIO 12711-1/2007. More license IBAMA/SISBIO 12711-1/2007. Morelicense IBAMA/SISBIO 12711-1/2007. More IBAMA/SISBIO 12711-1/2007. MoreMore photos from our studies are available in the Image Library of SEATURTLE.ORG: http://www.seaturtle.org/cgi-bin/imagelib/index.pl?user=6922&cat=500&thumb=1

BESNARD, W. 1950. Considerações gerais em torno da região lagunar de Cananéia-Iguape I. Boletim do Instituto Paulista de Oceanografia 1: 9-26.

DIAS, E.R.A. 1990. Produtividade de um cerco fixo no Parque estadual da Ilha do Cardoso, região lagunar-estuarino de Cananéia – SP. II Simpósio de Ecossistemas da Costa Sul e Sudeste Brasileiro. 2: 400-408.2: 400-408.

EPPERLY, S.P., J. BRAUN & A. VEISHLOW. 1995. Sea turtles in North Carolina waters. Conservation Biology 9: 384-394.

EPPERLY, S.P., J. BRAUN-MCNEILL, & P.M. RICHARDS. 2007. Trends in catch rates of sea turtles in North Carolina, USA. Endangered Species Research 3: 283-293

GALLO, B.M.G., S. MACEDO, B.B. GIFFONI, J.H. BECKER

Location Number of cercos-fixos

Number of turtles trapped

Ilha de Cananéia 4 16Ilha do Cardoso 5 107

Ilha da Casca 1 13Ilha Comprida 4 13

Unknown - 14Total 14 163

Table 1. Number of turtles trapped by cercos-fixos according to location in the study area.

Figure 2. “Cerco-fixo” and its 3 main parts, from back to front: espia, ganchos and casa-de-peixe. Photo credit: Flávia C. Oliveira.


Marine Turtle Nest Translocation Due to Hurricane Threat on Réunion Island

Stéphane Ciccione1, Marie Lauret-Stepler1, Jérôme Bourjea 2

1Assoc CEDTM-Kélonia BP 40, 97436 St Leu France, La Réunion, France ( E-mail: [email protected])2Ifremer BP 60 97822 Le Port Cedex, La Réunion, France

Figure 1. The nesting crawl and nest location of a green turtle on Réunion Island. Lower panel shows amount of sand lost after a tropical cyclone passed the island.

& P.C.R. BARATA. 2006. Sea turtle conservation in Ubatuba, Southeastern Brazil, a feeding area with incidental capture in coastal fisheries. Chelonian Conservation & Biology 5: 93-101 5: 93-101

MANSFIELD, K.L. 2006. Sources of mortality, movements and behavior of sea turtles in Virginia. PhD Dissertation. College of William and Mary. 343pp.

MENDONÇA, J.T. 1998. A pesca na região de Cananéia-SP nos anospesca na região de Cananéia-SP nos anos de 1995 e 1996. Masters Dissertation. Instituto Oceanográfico,Masters Dissertation. Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP. 131pp.

MORTIMER, J.A. 1982. Feeding ecology of sea turtles. In: K.A Bjorndal. (Ed.) Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 103- 109.

NAGAOKA, S.M., A.C.V. BONDIOLI & E.L.A. MONTEIRO-FILHO. 2005. Captura incidental de tartarugas marinhas, arte de pesca artesanal, no Complexo Estuarino Lagunar de Iguape/

Cananéia, litoral sul de São Paulo. II Jornada de Conservação e Pesquisa de Tartarugas Marinhas no Atlântico Sul Ocidental, Rio Grande, RS, Brasil, pp. 84-87.

OLIVEIRA, F.C. 2007. Etnobotânica da exploração de espécies vegetais para a confecção do cerco-fixo na região do Parque Estadual da Ilha do Cardoso. Masters thesis. Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. 146pp.

RAMOS, E.B., J. GULLI & M.A. VERRONE. 1980. áreas da região lagunar Cananéia Iguape suscetível da exploração pesqueira seguindo diversos tipos de tecnologia. I. Pesca com cerco fixo. Boletim do Instituto Oceanográfico (São Paulo) 290: 321-335.

SCHAEFFER-NOVELLI, Y., H. MESQUITA & G. CINTRÓN-MOLERO. 1990. The Cananéia lagoon estuarine system, São Paulo, Brazil. Estuaries 13: 193-203.uaries 13: 193-203.

Although Réunion Island was an important nesting site for marine turtles before human colonisation (Dubois1669 in Lougnon 1992), nesting activity has significantly decreased toward the end of the 20th century. Between 1986 and 2003 only four observations of marine turtle nesting activities have been recorded. More recently, nesting activity has increased but the total number remains low. From June 2004 to October 2005, eight nests were recorded on one beach at Saint Leu (Ciccione & Bourjea 2006). Between January and September 2007, six nests were observed: one was the first recorded on Cap Lahoussaye, and the other five were laid on St Leu beach, similar to nests laid in 2004 and 2005. Nest monitoring has become an essential component in the conservation of the green turtle population of Réunion Island.

On 27 January 2007, four tracks and one nest of green turtle were sighted on Cap Lahoussaye beach. The beach is narrow, and the female laid against a retaining wall next to a road running along the beach (Fig. 1). On 3 March 2007, a hurricane was forecast to pass near Réunion Island and cause a heavy swell that would have threatened the nest. An administrative authorization was given to translocate a part of the eggs to the artificial beach of the Kelonia, the marine turtle observatory. From the nest, 65 eggs were translo-cated and 30 eggs were left in the original location as a control. Egg incubation had reached 35 days at the time of relocation, hence it was important to maintain the axial orientation of each egg to avoid killing the embryos (Limpus et al 1979). To facilitate this, a cross was drawn on the top of each egg with a pencil before it was removed carefully from the nest. To protect the eggs from temperature shock during the transport, they were deposited on a sand bed, and then covered with a piece of linen and sand. In Kelonia, a 60 cm deep and cylindrical artificial nest was excavated, into which the eggs were placed delicately and then covered by the sand coming from the original beach. The weather degraded through the operation as


Table 1. Monitoring of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) translocated nest coming from Cap Lahoussaye beach (nest 1), and in situ nests from one Saint Leu beach (nest 2 to 6), Réunion Island. Nests 2 to 6 were laid by the same female.

Table 2. Mass and straight carapace length (SCL) recorded from hatchlings green turtle nests on the west coast of Réunion Island. n = number of hatchlings measured. Means given ± SD.± SD.SD.

the cyclone approached the coast. By the time the excavation was completed, rain began to fall.

The 30 eggs left in the original nest were washed away by the hurricane-induced waves. From the translocated eggs, 40 hatch-lings emerged 20 March 2007 (Table 1), and were released on the adjacent beach where nesting activity has regularly occurred since 2004. Post-emergence nest exhumation showed 9 undeveloped eggs (no obvious embryo) and 16 eggs with larger dead embryos at different development stages (Table 1). These eggs were located at the periphery of the nest.

Between the 01 June and 08 August 2007, 13 tracks were recorded on one beach of St Leu. The monitoring put in place by Kelonia’s staff suggested that the tracks were left by the same female, and she laid five nests during this period. Each nest were located by the staff and left in situ, with no sign to indicate their position to beachgo-ers. Because of the exceptional nature of nesting activities on the island, there was a concern that any sign would attract too much curiosity and have a negative impact on the eggs and hatchlings. Regular monitoring allowed the staff to assist with full or partial hatchlings emergence events. 40 hatchings from translocated nest and 216 hatchlings from 5 nests were measured and released to the ocean (Table 2).

Delayed translocation may not be the main factor influencing on hatchling success as it was shown in Abella (2007). The survival rate observed for the translocated eggs (61.5%) is close to the mean survival rate (57.0% (range: 28.6 - 88.9%) observed for the other 5 in situ nests laid in 2007 in St Leu. One of these nests had a low survival rate (28.6%), likely due to its location under a tree on the beach that is also used by beachgoers during the day; inadvertent

trampling was likely the main contributor to the reduced hatchling production of this nest. In the translocated nest, the mortality ob-served may have been caused by temperature variation between the original and the artificial nest due to weather degradation during artificial nest excavation. The translocation process took longer than expected (ca. 1hr), as the beach is located 30 minutes drive from Kelonia) and also because of the extra care taken during eggs re-moval and transport. Sand temperature is essential for the embryonic development of sea turtles eggs, not only for the embryo survival but also for the sex ratio (Mrosovsky 1982). Egg translocation has been shown to be effective in conservation of different sea turtles species (Dutton et al. 2005; Kornaraki et al. 2006) but it is a tool that should be used with a great care because of the possible impact on sex ratio output that can influence long-term population dynamics (Mrosovsky & Yntema 1980). In this particular case, the precautions taken during translocation allowed saving one of the rare nests laid in Réunion Island. In terms of sex ratio, we did not measure nest temperatures, but the information on incubation duration may be informative, given the relationship between incubation duration and sex ratio in green turtle nests (Godley et al. 2002). From the data on incubation duration (Table 1), there is a high probability that the translocated nest laid in January 2007 produced more females than the five other nests laid during a cooler period between June and August 2007.

ABELLA, E., A. MARCO, & L.F. LOPEZ-JURADO. 2007. Success of delayed translocation of loggerhead turtle nests. Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 2290-2296.

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CICCIONE, S. & J. BOURJEA. 2006. Nesting of green turtles in Saint Leu, Réunion Island. Marine Turtle Newsletter 112 :1-3.

DUTTON, D.L., P.H DUTTON, M. CHALOUPKA & R.H. BOULON. 2005. Increase of a Caribbean leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea nesting population linked to long-term nest protection. Biological Con-servation 126: 186-194.

GODLEY, B.J., A.C. BRODERICK, F. GLEN & G.C. HAYS. 2002. Tem-perature-dependent sex determination of Ascension Island green turtles. Marine Ecology Progress Series 226: 115-124.

KORNARAKI, E., D.A. MATOSSIAN, A.D. MAZARIS, Y.G MATSINOS & D. MARGARITOULIS. 2006. Effectiveness of different conservation measures for loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests at Zakynthos Island, Greece. Biological Conservation 130: 324-330.

Nest Date laid Incubation period

Eggs Live hatchlings

Hatching success

Dead hatchlings

Embryonic death

Undeveloped eggs

1 (control) 28/01/07 / 30 0 0

1 (relocated) 51 d 65 40 61.5 0 16 92 1/6/2007 87 d 93 61 65.59 10 17 53 16/06/07 116 d 133 38 28.57 7 70 184 2/7/2007 106 d 135 71 52.59 11 23 305 19/07/07 98 d 81 72 88.89 0 8 16 8/8/2007 90 d 60 44 73.33 6 7 3

Nest #, Location Average mass (g) Average SCL (cm)Cap Lahoussaye (n=40

translocated) 25.8 ± 1.5 4.97 ± 0.161, St Leu (n=27) 23.2 ± 1.32 5.04 ± 0.152, St Leu (n=55) 24.2 ± 1.18 4.94 ± 0.143, St Leu (n=77) 24.0 ± 1.32 4.96 ± 0.204, St Leu (n=7) 25.6 ± 1.41 4.95 ± 0.105, St Leu (n=50) 21.64 ± 1.35 4.77 ± 0.16


LIMPUS, C.J., V. BAKER & J.D. MILLER, 1979. Movement induced mortality of loggerhead eggs. Herpetologica 35: 335-338.Herpetologica 35: 335-338.

LOUGNON, A. 1992 Sous le signe de la tortue. Voyages anciens à l’île Bourbon (1661-1725). Lib. Gérard Saint Denis.

MILLER, J. 1999. Determining clutch size and hatching success. In: K.L. Eckert, K.A. Bjorndal, F.A Abreu-Grobois & M. Donnelly (Eds.) Re-

search and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/MTSG Publication No. 4. pp. 124-129.

MROSOVSKY N. & C.L. YNTEMA. 1980. Temperature dependence of sexual differentiation in sea-turtles: implications for conservation prac-tices. Biological Conservation 18: 271-280.

MROSOVSKY, N. 1982. Sex ratio bias in hatchling sea turtles from artifi-cially incubated eggs. Biological Conservation 23: 309-314.

Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) in Marine Waters off Ecuador: Occurrence, Distribution and Bycatch from the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Juan José Alava1,2

1School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada (E–mail: [email protected]); 2Fundación Ecuatoriana para el Estudio de

Mamíferos Marinos (FEMM), PO Box 09-01-11905, Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Loggerheads are globally distributed mainly in temperate, tropical and subtropical marine regions, inhabiting both oceanic and neritic waters (Carr 1952; Dodd 1988; NMFS & USFWS 1998a; Bolten 2003). This species has been also considered as an exception in geographical distribution of sea turtles since this species is not as abundant as other species in tropical areas or for having an antitropical or more temperate distribution (Pritchard 1997; Bowen 2003; Pritchard 2003). Breeding distribution for this species in the Pacific Ocean is restricted to Japan and to eastern Australia and southern New Caledonia (NMFS & USFWS 1998a; Limpus & Limpus 2003). In the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the loggerhead’s in-water distribution ranges from Alaska, North America, to Chile, South America (Carr 1952; Frazier 1981; Marquez 1990; NMFS & USFWS 1998a). Recently, this species has been shown to occur in costal zones (carapaces of animals) and marine waters off Peru (turtles captured by artisanal fisheries from Vilo Vilo, Illo and Morro Sama fishing human communities) between latitudes 12–20°S and longitudes 80–70°W (Kelez et al. 2003 Alfaro–Shigueto et al. 2004). The confirmed occurrence of most of these observations (n = 25 individuals) has been supported by both morphometric measurements and genetic analysis of mitochondrial

2000a). Even though extensive and intensive monitoring along the Ecuadorian beaches have been undertaken in the last decade, no stranded animals, carcasses or carapaces have been found, excluding it from the sea turtles species listed for this country (Alava 2000a; Alava et al. 2005). Likewise, while fishery interactions for this species have recently been documented in Peru and Chile (Donoso et al. 2000; Alfaro–Shigueto et al. 2004), the status of knowledge on loggerhead bycatch is unknown in the Ecuadorian marine territory, with no records on artisanal fishery landings for this particular species (Hurtado 1987; Alava 2000b). This article presents a review on data mainly collected by the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) regarding extent of occurrence and fishery interactions in marine water off Ecuador and in other areas of the Eastern Pacific Ocean during the period 1993–2002. Furthermore, I focus on the loggerhead distribution by proposing and testing hypotheses of why turtles are distributed as they are off Ecuador.

Data were available online (http://www.iattc.org) from two IATTC unpublished reports: documents BYC–4–04 and BIC–4–05a (IATTC 2004a; IATTC 2004b) that were produced from the 4th Meeting of the IATTC–Working Group on Bycatch (4-16 January, 2004, Kobe,

Figure 1. Abundance and distribution of olive ridley (large dotted area with dashed boundaries) and loggerhead turtles (scattered red dots) in marine waters off Ecuador. The figure shows the overlapping of distribution areas for both turtles mainly at the southward and northward areas, with olive ridley being the most abundant compared to the sightings of loggerhead. Arrow with solid line depicts the Humboldt Current and arrow with the dotted line depicts the Panama or El Nino Current. Data adapted from Figures 2a and 2b in IATTC 2004a.

DNA (mtDNA), suggesting that this species is more common in this area of Pacific than previously believed (Alfaro–Shigueto et al. 2004; Dutton et al. unpublished data). One hypothesis suggests that loggerheads found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean come from the western Pacific in view of the absence of nesting beaches on the coasts of the Eastern Pacific (NMFS & USFWS 1998a; Kelez et al. 2003). Moreover, the mtDNA study from three animals recorded in Peru supports the fact that these loggerheads are from Australian rookeries (Dutton et al. in Alfaro-Shigeto et al., 2004) Furthermore, loggerheads have been found to occur in marine waters off northern Chile through capture of individuals by longline fisheries (Donoso et al. 2000). On the other hand, there is a lack of documentation of this species in Central America and southern Colombia, and no loggerhead records from the coastal zone and marine waters off Ecuador have been documented (Frazier et al. 1981; Cornelius 1982; Green & Ortiz 1982; Alava


Japan). As a normal rule, field and biological data aboard tuna purse seine vessels during fishery operations offshore are obtained from accredited and experienced IATTC–marine observers (e.g., biologists or fishery technicians), who are intensively trained in pelagic fishes, marine mammals and sea turtles species identification and morphometrics. The observers on tuna purse seine vessels recorded every sighting of a sea turtle and every capture in a fishing set type, including floating objects, unassociated tunas (tuna fish not associated with dolphins) and tuna fish associated with dolphins. The estimates of loggerhead mortality due to fishery interactions for the entire fleet were extrapolated from data collected by IATTC observers aboard large purse seiners (over 363 tons carrying capacity) during 1993-2003; data were not collected from a few unobserved trips and from trips by smaller vessels that do not carry observers.

In this review analysis, it is important to mention that the information collected by IATTC–observers on sea turtle species is opportunistic and may reflect only a given proportion of sea turtle distribution that overlaps with the effort distribution of the fishing fleet (IATTC 2004a). Since sea turtle swimming speeds are much lower than those of tuna and dolphins, these epipelagic marine vertebrates more often associate with floating sessile objects rather than herds of dolphins (e.g., Common, Spotted and Spinner dolphins: Delphinus delphis, Stenella attenuata and S. longisrostris, respectively), which are associated with tunas (e.g., Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares) or with unassociated schools of tuna (IATTC 2004a; IATTC 2004b). Generally, the sea turtle-fishery interactions occur when the sea turtles are associated with floating objects (e.g., fish-aggregating devices or FADs) and are captured when the object is encircled by a purse–seine net. Secondly, it is likely that sea turtles can be captured in a given location when a net is set around an unassociated school of tunas or a school associated with dolphins (IATTC 2004b). Finally, misidentification of loggerhead turtles for Pacific olive ridleys is possible (Frazier 1985) during field identification at sea, but the intensive training and experience of high qualified IATTC-marine observers make this relatively unlikely.

During the period 1993–2002, IATTC–observers reported a total of 383 sightings of loggerheads, from which 98% (375/383) were alive and 2% (8/383) were dead. In marine waters off Ecuador, during the same time period, less than 10 sightings of loggerheads were recorded, four of them relatively close to Ecuador mainland, within the 333 km of national marine territory, and two far from the coast, including Galapagos Islands, which are located 1000 km from continental Ecuador. This is an extremely low rate of sightings between the latitudes 0°N and 5°S for a nine years

period of recorded data. On the contrary, there were a considerable number of observations along the northwest Ecuador coast, above the Equatorial line (0°N), in international waters, including Central American, between the geographical band 3–10°N during the third quarter (July–September) of the year, with less than 10 records of this species close to southwestern Colombia coast. Similarly, around 5–20°S and 80–90°W, a concentration of loggerheads (~30 individuals) is found north, central and southwestern Peru mainland from January to April. The area with the highest loggerhead concentration in the eastern Pacific ocean is found among the western coast of Baja California, between Cedros Island and María Magdalena (30–20°N; 105–115°W), mainly during the second half of the year (IATTC 2004a). This is consistent with the previous observations regarding with the abundance of this species coming from nesting beaches of Japan (Marquez 1990; NMFS & USFWS 1998a; Bowen 2003; Limpus & Limpus 2003; Pritchard 2003).

From the data analyzed here, it is suggested that loggerheads are not only present in marine waters off western Peru and northern Chile, where they are potentially feeding (Donoso et al. 2000; Alfaro-Shigueto et al. 2004), but also in low numbers offshore Ecuador mainland, which offer one of the most productive marine and estuarine areas along the western coast of South America, the Guayaquil Gulf Estuary (Figure 1). Likewise, the Humboldt Current coming from the Southern Ocean brings cold mass of water rich in nutrients, promoting the production of organisms in lower trophic levels and presence of primary and secondary consumers as well as top predators. This oceanographic scenario could enhance the presence of loggerheads and other sea turtles, and I also hypothesize that a small proportion of the juvenile loggerheads residing or foraging temporally offshore Peru and Chile are actually advected northward by the Humboldt Current, reaching Equatorial oceanic waters. However, this argument is weakened by the fact that loggerhead sea turtles, including juveniles, are not passive drifters but will swim against strong oceanic currents (Polovina et al. 2006). The opposite situation might be present during years when the El Niño event shows up, every four or ten years, with thermal anomalies, decreasing drastically the primary production and causing depletion of local food.

An alternative hypothesis regarding the low numbers of loggerhead in marine waters off Ecuador is derived from population ecology since it is known that large numbers of Pacific olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea) forage in Ecuadorian marine waters (NMFS & USFWS 1998b; Pritchard 2003), thereby causing competition with loggerheads for both prey and habitat (Figure 1). We suggest that this interspecific competition of loggerheads and the more

Table 1. Loggerhead annual mortality in the purse–seine tuna fishery and entangled individuals in floating objects in the Eastern Pacific Ocean during the period 1993–2002. Mortality in the purse–seine tuna fishery involved the following set types: tuna associated with dolphin, unassociated and floating objects. Entanglements are related to loggerheads observed in webbing with floating objects either involving fishing set type or not involving fishing gear.

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002Mortality–purse seine tuna fishery 4 2 2 0 5 1 4 2 1 0Alive–entangled in floating objects 0 0 1 0 5 3 0 0 9 2Dead–entagled in floating objects 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0Alive–entangled in floating objects encircled by set 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 5Dead–entangled in floating objects encircled by set 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1


numerous olive ridleys has caused the displacement of loggerheads southward to Peruvian and Chilean waters. Note that interspecific competition does not always result in complete competitive exclusion of a species; rather the “excluded” species may be able to coexist in low numbers by sharing the resources with the dominant species at certain level of homeostasis (Odum 1975).

In addition, the antitropical distribution of loggerheads may explain why they are not present in large numbers in marine waters off Ecuador, which might be the northern extent of their range. Polovina et al. (2004) found different distribution and habitat use patterns between loggerhead and olive ridley turtles from the North Pacific, where loggerhead mainly moved westward and were associated with eddies, fronts and geostrophic currents with sea surface temperatures (SST) ranging 15-25ºC, while olive ridley were primarily distributed mainly south of loggerhead habitat in warmer waters (SST = 23−28ºC). Thus, this might support our hypothesis, the rich-nutrient, cold water masses (SST= 20−24 ºC; see Pennington et al. 2006) associated with the Humboldt Current might offer better resources for loggerheads, moving southward to Peruvian and Chilean waters, whereas the warmer equatorial waters, with SST ranging 22−28 ºC (Pennington et al. 2006), off Ecuador are a better option for olive ridley turtles. These hypotheses need further testing by undertaking field studies on foraging ecology strategies and habitat use (e. g. stable isotope analysis), as well as satellite-telemetry research to determine whether these two species are really competing for the same food resources. This will help our understanding of the natural history of these two species on the southeastern Pacific Ocean and promote conservation actions in benefit of a subpopulations or management unit inhabiting this region.

The estimated annual mortality of loggerheads from bycatch in large purse–seine vessels during tuna fishery activities is indicated in Table 1. No mortality was reported in 1996 and 2002. The fishing effort from 1993 to 2002, as reflected by the number of sets observed during IATTC tuna purse seine operations, was 40115 sets, with most of the effort taking place in 1997 and 1998 when compared to the early 1990s (Figure 2). This pattern reflecting low bycatch mortality could be linked with the relatively low number of turtles observed these areas of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, mainly around 0°N–5°S offshore Ecuador. Additionally, loggerheads were also seen entangled with floating objects that were both not target and target for fishing set operations from purse–seine tuna fishery (Table 1). The number of dead turtles observed in this kind of interaction is low. However, when the turtles are still alive, mainly associated with floating object, they may eventually drown or die because of the stress associated with entanglement. For this reason, IATTC–resolutions on bycatch have encouraged marine crews and observers to work towards releasing all entangled turtles. Unfortunately, no morphometric data of individuals sighted or captured are available from these IATTC–reports.

In terms of artisanal fisheries, the data from an experimental study conducted in 2004 (testing the use of circles hook versus J–hooks and introducing dehookers during a program with Ecuadorian fishing communities; Largacha et al. 2004) showed that ten loggerheads interacted with fishing gear: either J-hooks (n = 2) or entangled in other gear (n = 10). The observed turtles appeared to be juveniles because the mean curved carapace length (CCL) was 58.8 cm ±9.91SD (range = 50–80cm) and curved carapace width

was 57.8cm ±10.9SD (frequency range = 50–80cm). The largest individual with 80cm CCL was likely overestimated, nevertheless still subadult. These sizes are similar to those recorded by Kelez et al. (2003): CCL = 57.0 cm, range = 48.5–62.5cm; n = 7, and relatively similar to those recorded by Alfaro–Shigueto et al. (2004): CCL = 54.3cm ± 11.1 SD; n = 15 for loggerhead turtles caught in artisanal vessel using longlines for mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), blue sharks (Prionace glauca), mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna zygaena) and thresher sharks (Alopias vulpinus). These pelagic fishes are the same species target for artisanal fishing communities of Ecuador, as well as yellowfin tuna (T. albacares), bigeye tuna (T. obesus), sword fish (Xiphias gladius), sail fish (Istiophorous platypterus) and different species of marlins: striped (Tetraptorus audax), black (Makaira indica) and blue (M. nigricans).

Globally, the loggerhead turtle is categorized as endangered by the IUCN Red List and listed in the Appendix I of CITES (Pritchard 1997). The major threat for loggerheads in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is the mortality caused for bycatch in commercial fisheries operations using longlines, trawls and nets (NMFS & USFWS 1998a; Limpus & Limpus 2003), which need to be mitigated for the recovery of this species. Recently, the preliminary data resulting from the ongoing circle hook experiment in Ecuador indicated that the use of circle hooks, type C16 and C18 hooks, reduced sea turtle bycatch by about 70 and 100%, respectively (Largacha et al. 2004). However, the fate of loggerheads on oceanic waters facing international and commercial-industrial fisheries and marine debris in this region of the Pacific Ocean is poorly unknown.

Identification of loggerhead stocks home ranges using DNA analysis is one of the actions required to reach the species recovery (NMFS & USFWS 1998a). This population genetic approach is important to conduct given that it can help to identify either new stocks or unknown populations showing unique genetic pool or otherwise individuals belonging to known maternal lineage already identified in other regions (i. e. nesting grounds) and facing different conservation threats in the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, a major research area and conservation strategy are genetic studies using mtDNA (as conducted in Peru; see Alfaro–Shigueto et al. 2004) on tissue samples collected from loggerhead captured incidentally by IATTC-purse seine tuna fleet operating in marine waters off Ecuador or from

Figure 2. Fishing effort for loggerhead sea turtles found entangled in observed sets on floating objects during tuna purse-seine fleet operations made by the IATTC observers for the period 1993-2002 (data adapted from IATTC 2004)


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Acknowledgements: The author thanks Eric Largacha from the Inter–American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) for facilitating additional data and information on loggerhead records on the Eastern Pacific and marine waters off Ecuador. The authors specially thank two anonymous reviewers for the valuable suggestions and Matthew Godfrey for editiorial work.

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CORNELIUS, S.E.1982.Status of sea turtles along the Pacific coast of Middle America. In: K.A. Bjorndal (Ed.). Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Institution Press. Washington, D.C. pp. 211-220.

DODD, C.K., Jr. 1988. Synopsis of the biological data on the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta (Linnaeus 1758). U.S. Fish Wildlife Service Biological Report 88(14):1–110.

DONOSO, M., P. DUTTON, R. SERRA & J.L. BRITO-MONTERO. 2000. Sea turtles found in waters off Chile. In: H.J. Kalb and T. Wibbels, (Compilers). 2000. Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-443, pp. 218-219.

FRAZIER, J. 1981. The Status of Marine Turtles in the East Pacific. Department of Zoological Research, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution. Washington D.C.

FRAZIER, J. 1985. Misidentifications of sea turtles in the eastern Pacific: Caretta caretta and Lepidochelys olivacea. Journal of Herpetology 19: 1-11.

GREEN, D. & F. ORTIZ-CRESPO. 1982. Status of sea turtle populations in the Central Eastern Pacific. In: K.A. Bjorndal (ed.), Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 221-233.

HURTADO, M.1987. Cierre de exportaciones de pieles de tortugas marinas en Ecuador. Instituto Nacional de Pesca, Boletín Informativo 2: 8pp.Instituto Nacional de Pesca, Boletín Informativo 2: 8pp.


Figure 1. Approximate straightline distance between Matura Beach where this turtle was tagged while nesting and recovery site in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, on the coast of Turkey.

A Stranded Leatherback Sea Turtle in the Northeastern Mediterranean, Hatay, Turkey

Bektaş Sönmez1, Dennis Sammy2, Şükran Yalçın-Özdilek3, Özgür Ahmet Gönenler1, Ufuk Açıkbaş1, Yaşar Ergün4 & Yakup Kaska5

1Department of Biology, Mustafa Kemal University, Tayfur Sökmen Campus, 31024 Antakya Hatay Turkey (E-mail: [email protected]); 2Nature Seekers, Toco Road, Matura, Trinidad and Tobago (E-mail: [email protected]); 3Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Education,

Anafartalar Campus, 17100 Çanakkale Turkey (E-mail: [email protected]); 4Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Tayfur Sökmen Campus, 31024 Antakya Hatay Turkey (Email: [email protected]); 5Department of Biology, Pamukkale University, Kınıklı

Campus, Denizli Turkey (E-mail: [email protected])

Three species of sea turtle, the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta, green turtle Chelonia mydas and leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea, regularly occur in the Mediterranean (Margaritoulis 2001; Rees et al. 2004). In the eastern Mediterranian, loggerhead and green turtles nest along the coasts of Greece, Northern Cyprus and Turkey (Kasparek et al. 2001; Margaritoulis et al. 2003). However there are no confirmed records of nesting by leatherbacks in Mediterranean so individuals observed in this region are assumed to originate from Atlantic Ocean colonies (Geldiay et al. 1982; Groombridge 1990; Margaritoulis 2001). Here we report on a stranded leatherback found in the Mediterranean coast of Turkey that had previously nested in Trinidad.

On June 6, 2006, a leatherback turtle was found on the beach in Iskenderun Bay, Northeast Mediterranean, Turkey (36.80○ N and 36.18○E, see Fig. 1). The turtle had 2 monel flipper tags attached to its rear flippers (tag numbers 28192, 24752). The curved carapace length (CCL) from nuchal notch to posterior tip measured 158cm and straight carapace length was 150cm, however due to the advanced state of decomposition these sizes may be inaccurate. Curved (CCW) was 99cm and straight carapace width was 92cm. Each front flipper measured 95cm in length measured along the leading edge. Holes which resembled bullet wounds were found in the left side of the neck and under the left eye, though we did not dissect the wounds

to confirm the presence of bullet fragments. This turtle was originally tagged while nesting at Matura Beach,

Trinidad (approximate location: 10.646○ N, 61.034○ W) on May 5, 2005, and subsequently nested again on 5 July 2005. CCL was reported as 157cm, CCW at 113cm.

This is not the first record of a sample of D. coriacea in the most eastern part of Mediterranean. Taşkavak et al. (1998) reported a stranded leatherback, which was smaller than this specimen, from Edremit Bay, Turkey, Rees et al. (2004) reported a live leatherback turtle during a survey in the coast of Syria in the East Mediterranean, and Levy et al. (2005) reported a leatherback incidentally captured in a trawler just off the coast of Israel. The presence of the Trinidad turtle as well as other records from the Eastern Mediterranean might indicate that the region is a foraging area for Atlantic leatherbacks. Leatherbacks from Trinidad nesting colonies have been shown to move across the Atlantic to foraging areas in the Eastern Atlantic (Eckert 2006) and this tag record shows that some can move into the Eastern Mediterranean

Acknowledgements: We thank local residents and the Hatay Directorate of Environment and Forestry, Dörtyol District of Agriculture, Samandağ Governor, Samandağ Environmental Protection and Tourism Foundation for contributions that facilitated our sampling of this leatherback.

ECKERT, S.A. 2006. High-use areas for Atlantic leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) as identified using satellite telemetered location and dive information. Marine Biology 149: 1247-1257.

GELDIAY, R., T. KORAY & S. BALIK. 1982. Status of sea turtle populations (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) in the northern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. In: K.A. Bjorndal (Ed.). Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington D.C. pp. 425-434.

GROOMBRIDGE, B. 1990. Marine turtles in the Mediterranean: distribution, population status, conservation. Strasbourg: Report to the Council of Europe Nature and Environment Series Conservation and Management Division No. 48 pp. 98No. 48 pp. 98

KASPAREK, M., B.J. GODLEY & A.C. BRODERICK. 2001. Nesting of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, in the Mediterranean: a review of status and conservation needs. Zoology in the Middle East 24: 45–74.

LEVY, Y., R. KING & I. AIZENBERG. 2005. Holding a live leatherback turtle in Israel: lessons learned. Marine Turtle Newsletter 107: 7-8.


MARGARITOULIS, D. 2001. The status of marine turtles in the Medıterranean. In D. Margaritoulis & A. Demetropoulos (Eds.). Proceedings of the First Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles. Barcelona Convention – Bern Convention – BonnBonn Convention (CMS). Nicosia, Cyprus. pp. 51-61.

MARGARITOULIS D., R. ARGANO, I. BARAN, F. BENTI-VEGNA, M.N. BRADAI, J.A. CAMINAS, P. CASALE, G. DE METRIO, A. DEMETROPOULOS, G. GEROSA, B.J. GOD-GEROSA, B.J. GOD-LEY, D.A. HADDOUD, J. HOUGHTON, L. LAURENT & B. LAZAR. 2003. Loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: present knowledge and conservation perspectives. In A.B. Bolten

& B.E. Witherington (Eds). Loggerhead Sea Turtles. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. pp. 175-198.

REES, A.F., A. SAAD & M. JONY. 2004. First record of a leather-back turtle in Syria, Marine Turtle Newsletter 106: 13.

TAŞKAVAK, E., R.H. BOULON & M.K. ATATÜR. 1998. An un-usual stranding of a leatherback turtle in Turkey. Marine Turtle Newsletter 80: 13.

Preliminary Study on Sea Turtlesin Bintan Island, Riau Archipelago, Indonesia

C.K. Winata, A. Nadina & M. RofikResearch and Development Dept., Environmental & Health Division,

PT. Bintan Resort Cakrawala, Indonesia (E-mail: [email protected])

Six out of seven species of sea turtles in the world live in Indonesia. All of them are under the Indonesian law protection (Act. no. 5 1990 re Conservation of Nature Resource and its Ecosystem; Government Regulation no. 7 1990 re Conservation Species of Flora & Fauna) and are protected by international trade by CITES (Convention of International Trade on Endangered Species). According to local people in Bintan, one could easily find 2 nests each evening in the nesting season of 1950s. However, in recent years only few nests have been observed on the beaches. To better characterize the population, we initiated a survey along Bintan Resorts coastline with two objectives: the identification of potential nesting beaches and nesting season in Bintan Resorts; and the identification of threats at nesting sites.

Bintan is the largest island among many in the Province of Riau Archipelago, located just south of Singapore. Bintan Resorts is located at the northern part (01.17° to 01.20° N and 104.30° to 104.58° E) and comprises 23,000 hectares of area, of which 3,000 hectares have already been developed. Within the resorts, there are more than 50 kilometers of white sandy beach (Figure 1). Between 2004 and 2006, we conducted ground surveys along beaches within Bintan Resorts at least once every two weeks. Between March and October, the frequency of patrols increased to 2-3 times a week on Pasir Panjang beach (01.1833°N, 104.1942°E; site 4 in Figure 1). All turtle tracks, nests, eggs, and egg shells were recorded, following Schroeder & Murphy (1999). In some cases, we relocated freshly laid nests to 3x5 m hatchery enclosures on more protected areas of beaches, for safe incubation.

Within the Bintan Resort, we identified four nesting beaches where both hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) laid nests (Figure 1). Hawksbill turtles were the most common species nesting on the four beaches, with most nesting activities occurring between March and September (Figure 2). No nests were observed between November and February, which coincides with the monsoon season in Bintan. The phenology of sea turtle nesting in Bintan is similar to that reported for nearby

Tembelan Island (February to May) and Johor, Malaysia (March to August) (Ali et al. 2004). Although the survey design did not allow us to fully monitor all nesting activities, it appeared that nesting density was greatest on Pasir Panjang beach.

When we began our monitoring project in 2004, we found that >90% of observed nests had been collected by local people for consumption. Given the anthropogenic pressures on sea turtle nests in the area and the logistical challenge of trying to monitor widely dispersed beaches, starting in 2005 we used hatcheries to protect some incubating eggs. In 2005, there were 550 hawksbill hatchlings produced from 5 nests in the hatchery (85% successful hatching rate) that we released to the ocean. In 2006, 1224 hawksbill

Figure 1. Map of Bintan Island, with four nesting areas identified within the Bintan Resorts Area (map source: Bintan Resorts website. used with permission).


hatchlings were produced in the hatchery (80% hatching rate) and released to the ocean. We invited tourists and local villagers to the hatchling releases to learn more about sea turtles and conservation. In addition, we disseminated information materials about sea turtle biology and conservation, though direct conversations and the distribution of calendars, leaflets and comic books. We noted that the percentage of turtle nests collected by locals declined to 61% in 2005 and decreased further to 33% in 2006.

We have been encouraged by our efforts that we can not only protect sea turtle nests on Bintan but also raise awareness of sea turtle conservation in local villages. We anticipate that we will be able to more actively engage local people in our project, thereby increasing its effectiveness. Acknowledgements: We thank to Professor C.H. Diong for supervising and

sharing valuable advice. Our sincere thanks to Douglas Hykle, M. Halim and W. Andyana for their inputs, Alang-alang Sea Sport Centre who helped in logistics and in checking turtle tracks, Ranan Samanya for supervising our projects. This study would not be possible without a PT. Bintan Resort Cakrawala grant.

ALI, A., Z. TALIB, M.M. ISA, S.A. RAZAK & N.A. ZAKARIA. 2004.2004. A Guide to set up and manage sea turtles hatcheries in the Southeast Asian region. Marine Fishery Resources Development and Management Department - Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre. 60pp.

SCHROEDER, B. & S. MURPHY. 1999. Population surveys (ground and aerial) on nesting beaches. In: K. L. Eckert, K.A. Bjorndal, F.A. Abreu-Grobois & M. Donnelly (Eds) Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Publication No. 4, pp. 45-55.

Green Turtle Tag Recovery Further Links Northern Brazil to the Caribbean Region

Eduardo H.S.M. Lima1, Maria Thereza D. Melo1, Magnus M. Severo2 & Paulo C.R. Barata3

1Fundação Pró-TAMAR, Acesso Projeto TAMAR 151, Almofala - CE, 62592-000 Brazil (E-mail: [email protected]); 2ICMBio-Piauí, Praça Santo Antônio 843, Parnaíba - PI, 64200-030 Brazil (E-mail: [email protected]); 3Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões

1480-8A, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21041-210 Brazil (E-mail: [email protected])

On 28 December 2006, a sea turtle bearing the flipper tag PPM-433/NMFS LAB was found stranded dead by a fisherman (Mr. Antonio R. da Costa) on Bitupitá Beach (2.90°S, 41.27°W), state of Ceará, northern Brazil, on the border with the state of Piauí. Species and carapace size were not recorded at the time. The flipper tag originally had been applied to a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) captured on 29 October 1997 in the feeding grounds of Puerto Manglar, Culebra, Puerto Rico. At that time, the turtle had a straight carapace length (SCL) of 41.7 cm. The turtle was recaptured at that same location on 10 June 1998 measuring 46.6 cm SCL. After the second capture in Puerto Rico, the turtle was neither captured nor seen

again before the stranding in northern Brazil (C. E. Diez, personal communication, 2007).

This is the fifth tag return since 1997 from green turtles moving between Ceará, Brazil, a green turtle feeding ground, and the Caribbean region, as recorded by Projeto TAMAR-ICMBio, the Brazilian Sea Turtle Conservation Program (Figure 1). Among the five records, four documented movements between feeding grounds, and one documented movement between a rookery in the Caribbean and Ceará. Besides the Puerto Rico record reported here, three green turtles captured at sea and tagged at Almofala, Ceará (2.93°S, 39.82°W), where TAMAR maintains a station (Lima 2001),

Figure 2. Number of turtle tracks counted per month at the four nesting sites being monitored within Bintan Resorts, on Bintan Island, Indonesia.


were later found dead in Trinidad (a juvenile with curved carapace length (CCL) of 48 cm when tagged in Brazil) and Nicaragua (two turtles, one with CCL of 88 cm and the other with CCL of 98 cm when tagged in Brazil) (Lima et al. 1999; Lima et al. 2003; Lum et al. 1998). In addition, a green turtle tagged on the nesting beach of Tortuguero, Costa Rica was found dead in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará (3.72°S, 38.53°W); this turtle had CCL of 106 cm when tagged in Costa Rica (Lima & Troëng 2001).

Small juvenile to adult green turtles, with CCL ranging from 20 to 132 cm (N = 655, data for 1993-2005, Projeto TAMAR-ICMBio, unpublished data, 2007), have been found at sea or stranded on beaches at Almofala, Ceará. The five flipper tag returns, indicating green turtle movements both ways between the coast of Ceará and the Caribbean region, are consistent with previous findings. Tagging data obtained in the 1960s and 1970s revealed that green turtles nesting at French Guiana, Suriname, and Ascension Island (United Kingdom) migrated to the coast of Ceará (Carr 1973, 1975; Pritchard 1973, 1976). Genetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA indicated that approximately half of the juvenile green turtles found at Almofala originate from Ascension Island, and roughly forty percent originate from the Matapica (Suriname), Aves Island (Venezuela) and Tortuguero (Costa Rica) rookeries. Other nesting areas in the Atlantic, such as Trindade Island (Brazil), may also contribute in a lesser way to the juvenile green turtle population at Almofala (Naro-Maciel et al. 2007). Overall, these results point

Figure 1. Records of green turtle movements between Ceará, northern Brazil, and the Caribbean region obtained since 1997 through flipper tagging. Arrows only connect capture and recapture locations and do not imply actual travel routes. Map generated by SEATURTLE.ORG Maptool. 2002. SEATURTLE.ORG, Inc. http://www.seaturtle.org/maptool/23 April 2007.

to the need for concerted conservation actions between Brazil and the Caribbean, as well as Ascension Island.

Acknowledgements: We would like to thank C. E. Diez for kindly sharing his tagging data, and Luciano Soares and Centro Mamíferos Aquáticos (CMA-ICMBio), Unidade Executora Regional do Piauí, for making this work possible. Our thanks also to Eugenia Naro-Maciel, for critical reading of the manuscript and valuable suggestions which helped us to improve this note. Projeto TAMAR, aProjeto TAMAR, a conservation program of the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, is affiliated with ICMBio (the Brazilian Institute for Biodiversity Conservation—Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação dade Conservação da Biodiversidade), is co-managed by Fundação Pró-Tamar and is), is co-managed by Fundação Pró-Tamar and is officially sponsored by Petrobras.

CARR, A. 1973. So Excellent a Fishe: A Natural History of Sea Turtles. Anchor Press, Garden City, New York, USA. 266 pp.

CARR, A. 1975. The Ascension Island green turtle colony. CopeiaCopeia 1975: 547-555.

LIMA, E.H.S.M. 2001. Helping the people help the turtles: the workHelping the people help the turtles: the work of Projeto TAMAR-IBAMA in Almofala, Brazil. Marine Turtle Newsletter 91: 7-9.

LIMA, E.H.S.M., C.J. LAGUEUX, D. CASTRO W. & M.A. MARCOVALDI. 1999. From one feeding ground to another: green turtle migration between Brazil and Nicaragua. Marine Turtle Newsletter 85: 10.

LIMA, E.H.S.M. & S. TROëNG. 2001. Link between green turtles foraging in Brazil and nesting in Costa Rica? Marine Turtle Newsletter 94: 9.

LIMA, E.H.S.M., C.J. LAGUEUX, P.C.R. BARATA & M.A. MARCOVALDI. 2003. Second record of a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) tagged in Brazil and captured in Nicaragua. Marine Turtle Newsletter 101: 27.

LUM, L.L., E.M. LIMA & A. SANTOS. 1998. Green turtle tagged in Brazil recovered in Trinidad. Marine Turtle Newsletter 82: 9.

NARO-MACIEL, E., J. H. BECKER, E.H.S.M. LIMA, M.A. MARCOVALDI & R. DESALLE. 2007. Testing dispersal hypotheses in foraging green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) of Brazil. Journal of Heredity 98: 29–39.

PRITCHARD, P.C.H. 1973. International migrations of South American sea turtles (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae). Animal Behaviour 21: 18-27.

PRITCHARD, P.C.H. 1976. Post-nesting movements of marine turtles (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae) tagged in the Guianas. Copeia 1976: 749-754.


Title: Sea Turtles: An Extraordinary Natural History of Some Uncommon TurtlesYear: 2007Author: Blair WitheringtonPublisher: Voyageur PressISBN: 0760326444Pages: 132pp (hardcover)Price: $29.95 USDTo order: <http://www.voyageurpress.com>

BOOK REVIEWS

Sea Turtles, published by World Life Library, tells the tale of these elusive yet fascinating creatures of the sea. This book is for anyone looking for concise yet thorough information presented to the non-scientist. The author, who has been studying sea turtles for some 20 years and holds a PhD from the University of Florida, starts the book off by connecting with the reader. His first experience with a sea turtle in the wild changed his perception of these animals, not as slow and plodding, but as graceful and mysterious. I feel this anecdote is so poignant, as many who have become fascinated by these creatures can recall the moment they too were “hooked.” The book continues on to show the reader just how amazing sea turtles are.

With a knack for detail, Witherington describes almost every facet of sea turtle life in the well-organized sections:

Ancient Origins – a look at the present-day sea turtle’s ancestral roots,

Form and Function – how a sea turtle is equipped to live and navigate in its aquatic environment, from swimming and diving to feeding and smelling,

Life cycle and Life History – sea turtles from egg to adult, From Sea to Land to Sea – a closer look at how different species

select nesting beaches and lay their nests, World Voyagers – how sea turtles migrate in search of food,

shelter, breeding grounds, and nesting sites, The Role of Sea Turtles – how sea turtles at every life stage

fulfill an important ecological role in the food web, The Species – a more in-depth view of the sea turtle species,

complete with maps of major nesting sites and to-scale silhouettes comparing a mature turtle to a human diver,

Sea Turtles and Humans – how we use sea turtles, from nourishing Columbus’s crew to fueling a new industry of ecotourism.

The text, all from scientific and historical accounts, is anything but dull. The author takes these accounts and turns them into feats of storytelling:

“Just before nightfall on the first night of an arribada, the gathered turtles begin their invasion of the beach. Like landing craft they emerge from the wave-wash and trudge up the beach. Some crawl shoulder to shoulder, some advance on others,

and some rest momentarily and are nudged aside by the more anxious among the building throngs. By midnight, advancing waves of domed silhouettes completely fill the lower beach, and sights and sounds of tens of thousands of digging, huffing, sand-scattering turtles consume the upper beach (pg. 57).”

The author incorporates the most recent findings in sea turtle research including how they use the Earth’s magnetic field for navigation, the use of satellite tracking to follow migration patterns, and the effectiveness of the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on the Kemp’s ridley population. But he also points out the many mysteries and questions that researchers continue to tackle. For instance, we still don’t know what triggers an arribada and what its purpose is, or how a nesting female navigates her way back to her natal beach after being gone for 20-30 years. And where are all the juvenile leatherbacks? These and other mysteries, aided by a vast, inaccessible ocean, add to the glamour of sea turtles.

One area that was lacking in detail were the threats to the populations, including diseases, boat strikes, debris ingestion and entanglements, loss of nesting beaches, and climate change. Many of these are alluded to in other parts of the book, but focus is given to direct takes of sea turtles and fisheries interactions. Although these two threats are perhaps the most substantial in continuing population declines, it is important to illustrate all of the threats in order to focus on reversing these declines. The end of the book culminates in a call to action, an urgency to continue learning all we can before it may be too late. Given the audience of this book, I would have found it more meaningful to address how everyday human actions are leading to sea turtle extinction and provide the reader the power to do something to reverse the current trend.

Sea Turtles is a book that many may look at solely for the pictures (almost one for every page), but it is a great reference for a primary school student needing information for a project, an educator looking for new lesson material, or an enthusiast that is craving to learn all they can about these creatures. It is sure to inspire the next marine biologist or conservationist. The content is too general for seasoned researchers, but one can really appreciate the way Witherington rekindles the allure. Between the beautiful photographs, illustrations, and cleverly descriptive text, Sea Turtles is no less than an awe-inspiring and motivational journey.

Reviewer: Wendy M. Cluse, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, 211 Virginia Ave., Morehead City, NC 28557 (E-mail: [email protected])


I have a confession to make: I loved this book even before I started to read it. Of course the content is the most important in determining the quality of a book, but in this case, I found that the cover, the layout used on each page, the font type, the pictures and maps used in the book all quite attractive. I have to admit that the book edited by Shanker & Choudhury (2006) on “Marine Turtles of the Indian Subcontinent” satisfied my first inclination. After having read it, I submit that the editors and the authors are to be commended for their great efforts.

The book consists of 8 main parts, each of them including 2-5 subsections. A total of 47 authors and coauthors contributed to the book. When I finished reading it, I could clearly see the progress that has been made since 1970 on sea turtle conservation. In the introduction, there is a short story about Satish Baskar, a Robinson Crusoe type figure who monitored many nesting beaches on remote islands in difficult conditions and provided initial baseline data on various species. Apart from his dangerous and pioneering work, there is also a romantic component to his adventure: his message in a bottle reaching his wife in 24 days by the help of a fisherman who found the bottle in the sea.

The meat of the book is between pages 32 and 222 and is full of inventory data. These pages focus mainly on the distribution and status of sea turtles in each country in the region. Each country account includes historic information sea turtle status, plus information on nesting turtle species, nesting areas, nest numbers,

incubation durations, main threats, turtle sizes, exploitation, etc. By the way, from this book I learned that the first marine turtle tagging program in the world has been carried out in Sri Lanka by a Dutch district officer.

I feel guilty as a human being that hundreds of thousands of adult marine turtles have been killed just for their meat or shell and millions of eggs have been consumed. You can see the black-white and color pictures documenting some of this exploitation after page 224, together with the pictures of marine turtle species, some spots from nesting beaches and problems faced on the beaches. This section continues with fishery related issues and the application of TEDs. Following this, there is a section on the importance of community based conservation, with two case studies focused on a shift away from government managed park systems, Interestingly, in the first example, the local income derived from turtle monitoring led to corruption in some of the community members.

As in most countries around the world, there are many laws and international instruments for the conservation of marine turtles in the Indian Subcontinent. One section of this book is dedicated to these instruments and also the difficulty, as we all now, in the implementation of these rules. The final section of the book is titled “Marine turtle related research,” but focuses only on olive ridley studies. I would have change the heading to “Special focus on olive ridley studies.”

Overall, the book is very comprehensive and summarizes much of the scientific knowledge that has been published in various scientific journals in the past few decades. In general, the quality of the data is good. Although the information is specific to the Indian Subcontinent and might not interest everyone, it does contain a wealth of information on reproductive biology and fisheries management of sea turtles.

Reviewed by: Oguz Turkozan, Adnan Menderes Universitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakultesi, Biyoloji Bolumu, 09010 Aydin, Turkey (E-mail: [email protected])

Title: Marine Turtles of the Indian SubcontinentYear: 2007Author: Kartik Shanker & BC Choudhury (editors)Publisher: CRC PressISBN: 1420051083Pages: 415pp (softcover)Price: $99.95 USDTo order: <http://www.crcpress.com>

Title: Last of the LeatherbacksYear: 2007Author: D.J. BrazierPublisher: Matador PressISBN: 978-1905237-692Pages: 117pp (softcover)Price: £5.95 GBPTo order: <http://www.troubador.co.uk/matador>

This small book is aimed at younger people, although adults may find it a quick and easy read. The story focuses on a single leatherback turtle, and follows her through the several stages of her life: as a hatchling making her way out of the nest and across the beach to the ocean; as a large juvenile in the open ocean; as a first-time nesting female slowly crawling up the beach to find a place to lay her clutch of eggs. Interestingly, there is little mention of the post-hatchling juvenile stages. This likely reflects the near absence of information about how and where juvenile leatherbacks spend their time. That being said, parents of younger readers may be asked

to fill in some of the blanks between the end of Part One (hatchling stage) and the beginning of Part Two (when the leatherback is 11 years old).

The narration is straightfoward, although there is a fair amount of anthropomorphization (for example, after she only just escapes from death during a particularly deep dive, we are told that she “gags” on bits of jellyfish caught on the spines in her throat). The reader is introduced to different facets of sea turtle biology and ecology without making it seem like a biology lecture. There are also vivid descriptions of other aspects of marine life, from cetaceans to waterbirds, and of the ocean itself, with waves, storms, and fishing nets. The book ends with a conservation message, in the form of an encounter on the beach between a young boy and the post-nest leatherback who is too weak to crawl back to the sea. The text is peppered with pleasing black and white sketches. All in all, this book would make a nice gift for school-age children that are interested in marine life. Best of all, a portion of the proceeds of this book goes to the Marine Conservation Society (UK).

Reviewed by Matthew H. Godfrey, Co-editor, Marine Turtle Newsletter.


IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist GroupQuarterly Update

Brian J. Hutchinson1, Nicolas J. Pilcher2 , & Roderic B. Mast1 1Conservation International, Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, 2011 Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA 22202, USA

(E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]); 2Marine Research Foundation, 136 Lorong Pokok Seraya 2, Taman Khidmat, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (E-mail: [email protected]);

MTSG Annual General Meeting – Loreto, Mexico, January 22 and 26, 2008

The MTSG Annual General Meeting will once again be held in conjunction with the Annual International Sea Turtle Symposium. Similar to the structure that we have adopted in recent years, there will be two separate half-days devoted to MTSG presentations and discussions – on the mornings of Tuesday, January 22 and on Saturday, January 26. The 22nd will be devoted to updates and presentations from the co-chairs and regional vice-chairs, and the 26th will be devoted to discussion. MTSG members should already have received an email with the tentative schedule for these meetings as well as logistical details.

We hope to see many of you there, and will be providing a summary of presentations and discussions following the meeting for those who are unable to attend. If you would like additional information on these meetings please contact program officer, Brian Hutchinson (address above).

IUCN SSC Specialist Group Chairs’ Meeting – February 2008

In February 2008 the MTSG Co-Chairs will travel to Abu Dhabi to attend the SSC Specialist Group Chairs’ Meeting. This important forum will serve as an opportunity for discussion among the chairs of the SSC’s many Specialist Groups related to issues of common interest such as Red Listing, SSC Structure, and the roles and activities of Specialist Groups.

We anticipate that this will be an important opportunity to discuss issues relating to the Red List process and criteria as relevant to marine turtles, a topic which we have been discussing regularly within the MTSG recently. We hope that this meeting will allow us to share the insights that we have gained through our internal discussions and share the perspectives of MTSG members with the broader SSC community.

Another key aspect of the SSC Specialist Group Chairs’ Meeting will be the discussion of the proposed plan for restructuring of the SSC. This plan was developed by the SSC Restructuring Task Force, which was established by SSC Chair Holly Dublin in 2005 to evaluate the existing structure of the SSC and develop recommendations to lead the SSC into the future.

Their plan, “The IUCN Species Survival Commission: Design for the Future,” was circulated to SSC Chairs and stand-alone Red List Focal Points in December 2007 and will be discussed in detail at the February SSC chairs’ meeting. The proposed redesign of the SSC presents a major change for Specialist Groups, in that they would no longer house the Red List Authority for their species of

concern. Rather there would exist separate and distinct Red List Authorities (RLAs) and Assessment Groups, with members that may overlap directly with Specialist Groups (i.e. one may be a member of the MTSG as well as a member of the “Marine Turtle Assessment Group” or “Reptile Assessment Group”). Under this proposed re-design, Specialist Groups would no longer be responsible for Red List activities. Rather, assessment responsibilities would be overseen by the relevant RLAs and specialist groups would focus instead on research and conservation activities.

This plan intends to clearly separate SSC’s conservation work from its assessment activities. It is also meant to streamline the number of Red List Authorities (RLAs), and focus them on higher taxonomic levels, with somewhere between 10 and 15 RLAs under the new design compared with the current 74.

There are many more details associated with the SSC’s proposed re-structuring, and we plan to present on this plan at the MTSG Annual General Meeting on January 22 in Loreto, Mexico and solicit member feedback. Many of these proposed changes are already seen as contentious among specialist groups, as they represent a major shift in the roles and structures of the groups. The details of this proposal will be a central point of discussion at the upcoming SSC Chairs meeting. We look forward discussing this plan with MTSG members at our upcoming meeting, and welcome your feedback as we prepare for the SSC Chairs’ meeting in February.

Update on MTSG involvement in the Dhamra Port development in Orissa, India

In early December 2007, members of the MTSG led by co-chair Nicolas Pilcher conducted a mission to Dhamra, India to assist with the development of protocols for reducing impacts on turtles during dredging activities. The objectives of the mission to Bhubaneswar and Dhamra were to assess the potential impacts from dredging and to develop mitigation measures to minimize any interactions with marine turtles during this critical phase of Port construction. The Port intends to dredge some 60 million cubic meters of material. About 5 million cubic meters of that dredging will be sand taken from a borrow area and used to build up the actual Port facility. The remaining amount of material will be dredged to deepen the access channel, berthing area, and turnaround point.

Following a careful search amongst sea turtle experts within the MTSG, Dena Dickerson (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) and Eric Hawk (U.S. NOAA/NMFS) volunteered to assist on the mission. Phillip Bates, a design engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, also volunteered to participate but was held back over paperwork issues. Dena has spent many years designing systems to minimize entrainments on dredging operations in the U.S., and Eric


has spent a similar amount of time developing regulatory measures to guide mitigation efforts.

The first half of the mission was spent in consultation with the Port authorities and the dredging firm’s engineers, learning about detailed plans for the dredging (schedules, vessel design and specifications, locations of borrow and dump sites, etc.) and coming up with a rough plan for mitigating impacts. Dena provided a thorough history of ways in which turtle–dredger interactions have been minimized in the past (such as through the use of drag-head deflectors), based on 27 years of work on these issues in the U.S. and around the globe. Eric provided examples of mechanisms for monitoring interaction levels (inflow screening, for instance) and regulating operations in such a manner as to minimize turtle entrainments (through the use of relocation trawling, as an example). During this phase of the mission, the IUCN team and officers from the Dhamra Port Company Limited (DCPL) also took the opportunity to meet with the Principal Secretary for Orissa State and also the Chief Wildlife Warden and the Senior Research Officer (Wildlife Department) to discuss the status of the port development, and to start building the foundations upon which lighting ordinances may be based in the future (another concern associated with the Port development).

Following these meetings the team traveled to the Port site at Dhamra and went offshore to inspect the dredgers themselves, looking at possible ways to install deflectors and inflow screens, and examining the actual operation cycle of the dredgers to better understand what interventions might be best for turtles. During this at-sea phase, the dredging experts both agreed that the habitat in the channel area appeared unlikely to be a habitat where turtles spend significant amounts of time resting on the seabed (the only way they really interact with the hopper dredgers used on the project). The seabed is composed of fine silts which form a soft cloud-like layer above the firmer sediment, which would be too soft for turtles to rest on. In support of this opinion there were a number of floating and stranded dead turtles which were likely the result of fishery-induced mortality, rather than any of the ongoing dredging works, as evidenced by the fact that the carcasses were whole and not damaged by any mechanized dredger equipment.

The real concern was the potential for turtle-dredger interactions at the sand borrow area, which lies about 5-10 km north of the wildlife sanctuary’s northern marine boundary. It is at this site that turtles are more likely to be entrained during dredging operations, given the nature of the substrate and the proximity to the wildlife sanctuary. Based on this, the IUCN team recommended installation of inflow screens and an observer program to detect any such entrainments, relocation trawling efforts to reduce the number of turtles in the vicinity of the dredger, installation of deflectors on any new vessels arriving to assist with the works, and retroactive fitting on vessels in the area already which are found to entrain turtles.

Protocols for each of these activities were developed by the IUCN team for DPCL, based on existing protocols in use elsewhere in the

world, including those developed for ports in: Baltimore and Ocean City, Maryland, USA; Charleston and Georgetown, South Carolina, USA; Galveston and Freeport, Texas, USA; Miami, Tampa, and Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA; Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; and many other projects throughout the world which require upfront and maintenance dredging. The team also designed the terms of reference for observers on both the dredgers and the relocation trawlers, and drafted a series of minimum requirements for the observer team. All of these documents have been provided to DPCL, and are being used in driving all the right mitigation efforts.

DPCL have now applied for permits from the Orissa State Government and from the Ministry of Environment to conduct relocation trawling exercises and other related research (tagging, measuring, DNA sampling, etc.) based on the aforementioned protocols, and have engaged with a fleet of trawlers which would be able to conduct the work safely and efficiently.

In the interim, there is no reason the Port should not require inflow screening to be installed immediately on any vessels dredging in the sand borrow area, and establish and implement an observer program for the dredgers themselves. Should entrainments be detected in the vessel currently on site (Ylaanderer XX), it is recommended this vessel be equipped immediately with a deflector. This can be done through collaborative dialogue amongst the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the engineers from International Seaport Dredging, and will likely require several days of downtime while the vessel travels to Paradeep port for refitting. It is recommended that any future vessels intended for use at the sand borrow areas have deflectors installed at their home port prior to arriving on site. (Note: Since this report was written, the dredging firm agreed to replace this dredger with one to which deflectors can be fitted).

Overall the mission was a success, and the positive commitments made by DPCL suggest that impacts to turtles through the dredging operations related to this port can be minimized. The IUCN team will continue to work with the DPCL officers to ensure the observer programs are up and running efficiently in the near future, and to assist the dredging firm with design specifications for deflectors and inflow screens.

Since the mission ended, the Port has met all of the commitments made towards implementation of the measures recommended by the MTSG team. The dredging firm is in contact with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to design deflectors for their dragheads. The Port has set up a team of observers, and has contracted with local trawlers to conduct relocation trawling exercises. It is likely that a significant amount of in-water data will come of this, as a bonus to the ever-expanding body of knowledge on turtles of Orissa. The Port has also applied for all necessary permits to conduct the relocation work, and are liaising directly with the relevant government agencies each step of the way, and looking into getting their staff to volunteer on the mass-nesting beaches.


MEETING REPORT

As some of you may know, The First Turkish National Sea Turtle Symposium was held in Istanbul, in 2003. At this meeting, we decided to organize this event every two years. However, due to the hosting the second Mediterranean Marine Turtle Conference in Antalya, Turkey in 2005, we postponed the Second National Sea Turtle Symposium until 2007.

The symposium took place in Dalyan, a well-known loggerhead turtle nesting area in Turkey. The symposium took place in Club Alla Turca Hotel, the only hotel which has a conference room in this town, with the hospitality of the Dalyan Municipality.

The symposium organized in cooperation of the Directorate of the Conservation of Nature and National Natural Parks, the Authorities for the Specially Protected Areas of the Turkish Ministry of Environment of Forestry, the municipality of the Dalyan, Ecological Research Society, WWF-Turkey and Pamukkale University. Some financial support also came from the Scientific and Technological research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK).

In Turkey, marine turtle-related conservation studies are coordinated by three committees: a local committee, the scientific committee and the national committee. The local committee consists of the representatives of the closest university, municipality and provincial offices of several Ministries (such as the Ministries of Environment and Forestry, Agriculture, Education, Tourism, etc.) and local NGOs. These local committees are set for each province (Mugla, Antalya, Mersin, Adana and Hatay) and they are also help to collect information on turtles and inform the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry of any problems occurred in their region. The Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Directorate of the Conservation of Nature and National Natural Parks and the Authorities for Specially Protected Areas) financially supports the projects and managed the beaches according the recommendations of experts at various Turkish universities that conduct research on the nesting beaches (in alphabetical order, Adnan Menderes University, Akdeniz University, Dokuz Eylül University, Hacettepe University, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Mersin University and Pamukkale University). The scientific committee, which meets twice a year, consists of experts from the above-named universities and authorized people from relevant governmental departments and two NGOs. Protocols for conservation research on each beach in Turkey must be supervised by at least one member of the scientific committee. The national committee, coordinated by the chair of the Turkish Ministry of Environment, meets once in a year, to ensure inter-ministerialinter-ministerial compliance of marine turtle conservation activities.

Many research projects that focus on the biology of sea turtles are supported by University Research Funds, TUBİTAK and/or the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The objective of the national symposium was to gather the results of all scientific studies

Second Turkish National Sea Turtle Symposium (25-27 October 2007)

Yakup Kaska Pamukkale University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Denizli-Turkey.

(E-mail:[email protected])

together with the related NGOs and other relevant partners. This year, the principal topics of presentations included basic fieldwork data, genetic diversity of the Turkish sea turtle population, sex ratio estimates, and evaluations of conservation studies on different beaches. There were also two presentations on the soft-shelled Nile turtle, a species that usually overlaps with sea turtles on nesting beaches and thus many of us usually collect additional data on that species.

For the symposium, there were two days of presentations, for a total of 23 oral and 19 poster presentations, 3 video presentations and 2 art exhibitions, and also two workshops. The first workshop focused on the general conservation problems present on the beaches and their solutions; the second discussed the possibility of setting up a sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation centre, including: how and where to establish and the basic requirements of a first aid stations and a rescue centre. By consensus it was decided to work towards establishing a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Dalyan.

Five international participants from three different countries were represented at the symposium. Dr. Flegra Bentivegan, from Stazione Zoologica, Italy, gave a talk on “The commitment of the Stazione Zoologica to the protection of marine turtles: Moving towards a safer world by exchanging experiences”. She made contributed valuable input during the second workshop as well. Lily Veniselos, from MEDASSET-Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles, made one oral presentation (MEDASSET’s Field Conservation Assessments in Turkey 1989-2007: A Retrospective) and one poster presentation (Dalyan Nesting Beach: Looking Back to Move Forward). She made also presented two video. The first was entitled “Can Tourists and Turtles Mix?”, by Richard Brock (former BBC producer and working with Living Planet Productions), and the second was called “Turtles in Trouble,” which was produced by The Travel Foundation, Marine Conservation Society and Juniperblue in collaboration with MEDASSET. Monica Aureggi and Sibel Paralik from SAVE (Supporting Activities that Value the Environment) from Northern Cyprus made a poster presentation on SAVE and Marine Turtles Conservation. Hasibe Kusetoğulları, from Environment Protection Office of Northern Cyprus gave a talk on marine turtle conservation in Northern Cyprus.

We had also two invited speakers from Turkey. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Baran (now retired) and Prof. Dr. Sedat V. Yerli (Hacettepe University) gave talks on an evolutionary perspective on conservation and scientific studies on sea turtle in Turkey. I suggest we are the third academic generation working on sea turtles in Turkey, given that Prof. Dr. R. Geldiay and Prof. Dr. M. Basoglu (advisors of Prof. Baran) initiated sea turtle studies in Turkey.

There were 210 participants in total representing 11 Universities and 11 NGOs and around 20 different governmental offices other


official groups, such as the local, scientific and national sea turtle committees, related to the sea turtle conservation. It was a great pleasure for all of us to get together not only as scientists but also NGOs, conversationalists and decision-makers from within the governmental.

Some of the many important outcomes of the symposium include establishing a rescue center in Turkey, conducting a workshop to solve the problems present on the beaches, and establishing a national database of the nest numbers for all beaches (i.e., a national SWOT database). This is particularly important as there is evidence of declines in annual numbers of nests laid by both loggerhead and green turtles in the Mediterranean.

The symposium reaffirmed that the Mediterranean coasts of Turkey are important nesting grounds for both loggerhead and green turtles. Of the entire Turkish coastline (2577 km), 606 km consist of sandy beaches and more than a third of these support turtle nesting (Baran & Kasparek 1989). Based on nest numbers within the Mediterranean, Turkey holds the most important green turtle rookeries (Kasparek et al. 2001; Broderick et al. 2002) and

the second most important loggerhead turtle stocks (Margaritoulis et al. 2003). Baran & Kasparek (1989) identified 17 important nesting grounds. The Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry financially supports turtle monitoring projects every year for almost all marine turtle nesting areas. Recently, three additional nesting sites (Çıralı, Alata and Sugözü-Yumurtalık) were included amongst those that are annually monitored (Table 1).

One of the outputs of the symposia was the compiling of the nesting information from Turkish beaches. The total numbers of the nests reported for each beach can be found in different papers and reports but it is, most of the time, too difficult to find all related information in one summary table. The national symposium provided an opportunity to summarize numbers of sea turtle nests laid in Turkey in the past two years (Table 1).

Between 767 and 3519 loggerhead turtle nests and 442-2030 green turtle nests are laid annually on Turkish beaches. Using the assumption that each female nests an average of 3 times in a season every 2-3 years (Groombridge 1990), this means that approximately 256-1173 loggerhead and 147-677 green turtles nest annually on the beaches of Turkey. According to Groombridge (1990), there were 2000 loggerhead adult females and 500 green turtle adult females reproducing on Turkish beaches in the late 1980s. The data compiled in Table 1 suggest that numbers have changed in recent years or there was some error associated with the original estimates. The compilation of international data for the Mediterranean (i.e., Margaritoulis et al. 2003; Margaritoulis 2005) and national data via symposia will help clarify the status and trends of the Mediterranean Sea turtle population.

We hope to come together again in the Third National Sea Turtle Symposium in Mersin University in 2009, highlighting the critically endangered status of the Mediterranean green turtle, which is not well known by the public. With a regularly occuring national symposium, we are the only Mediterranean country acting in parallel to the Mediterranean Marine Turtle Conference, which will be held next in Tunisia in 2008.

The proceedings of the symposium were published in November 2007 and were accompanied by a DVD containing photos and presentations from the 2007 symposium, together with electronic PDF files of the proceedings of both the First and Second national symposia and other informative electronic files. These were distributed to the participants and other relevant bodies within the region. Both the hard copy and electronic files of the proceedings can also be downloaded from the symposium web page. http://caretta.pamukkale.edu.tr/sempozyum/sbildirge.htm. The symposium logo can be seen here: http://www.seaturtle.org/cgi-bin/imagelib/index.pl?photo=3644

Acknowledgements: Thanks to the Scientific board (Prof. Dr. Ertan Taskavak, Prof. Dr. Serap Ergene, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oguz Türkozan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yakup Kaska, Assist. Prof. Dr. Adem Özdemir, Assist. Prof. Dr. Sükran Yalçin Özdilek, Dr. Hakan Durmus and Dr. Çetin Ilgaz ) and Executive Committee (Ayşe Oruç [WWF-Turkey], İrfan Ekmekçi, Güner Ergün, Nurullah Gürkan, Bekir Erdoğan, Ahmet Eryiğit [Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry], Kenan Çetin [Dalyan Municipality] and Dr. Ali Fuat Canbolat [Ecological Research Society]) of the symposium. Special thanks to Suat Tufan, Mayor of Dalyan, for his hospitality and TUBİTAK for partly financing the symposium. We also thank the personnel of the Hotel Club Alla Turca, Paradise Restaurant, Caretta Etiket, MacArt and symposium volunteers (Kıvanç Akyıldız, Pınar İli, Adile Özdemir, İdris

Average nests/season (range) 2006 data 2007 data

Beach Km CC CM CC CM CC CM

Ekincik 1 9-12 ND ND

Dalyan 4.7 57-330 269 Canbolat

Dalaman 10.4 69-112 73 104

Fethiye 8.3 72-191 72 Canbolat

Patara 14 35-127 2-2 127 Canbolat

Kale 8.5 39-109 52 ND

Kumluca 21 75-305 0-7 ND ND Canbolat Canbolat

Çıralı 3.2 23-96 96 105

Tekirova 3.7 4-23 ND ND

Belek 29.3 68-819 2-8 1053 1 Canbolat Canbolat

Kızılot 15.7 50-270 0-3 ND ND Canbolat Canbolat

Demirtaş 7.8 41-137 137 ND

Gazipaşa 7 14-53 ND Canbolat Canbolat

Anamur 12.2 146-674 1-1 674 1 Ergene Ergene

Göksu Delta 25.6 36-151 3-20 107 12 ND ND

Alata 3 16-32 20-198 16 198 Ergene Ergene

Kazanlı 4.5 2-26 73-403 11 385 191

Akyatan 22 3-31 108-735 31 562 Türkozan Türkozan

Sugözü, Yumurtalık 3.4 1-1 213-213 0 198 1 57Samandağ 14.2 7-20 20-440 9 440 8 65Total 219.5 767-3519 442-2030 2727 1797

Table 1. The number of nests recorded on Turkish beaches, from Kaska 2007. Most data from 2007 have yet to be formally prepared in reports - the surname of key researcher in 2007 for each beach is identified. Bold text indicate beaches that were recently included in annual monitoring protocols. CC = loggerhead, CM = green turtles, ND = no data available.


Arslan, Seda Akın, Fikret Sarı, Çiğdem Fak, Ayça Kesim, Özgün Teksoy, Elif Madak, Akın Kıraç and İmge Tanman). On behalf of organizing committee, thanks to all participants, invited speakers, committee members, contributors, session chairs, workshop & discussion coordinators and facilitators.

BARAN İ, & M. KASPAREK. 1989. Marine turtles Turkey. Status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. Heidelberg, Germany.

BRODERICK A.C., F. GLEN, B.J. GODLEY & G.C. HAYS. 2002. Estimating the number of green and loggerhead Turtles nesting annually in the Mediterranean. Oryx 36: 1-9.

GROOMBRIDGE, B. 1990. Marine turtles in the Mediterranean: distribution, population status, conservation. Report to the Council of Europe, WCMC, Cambridge, UK. 72 pp.

KASKA, Y. (Compiler) 2007. Proceedings of the Second Turkish National Sea Turtle Symposium. Bilal Ofset Press, Denizli, Turkey, 256 pp.

KASPAREK, M., B.J. GODLEY & A.C. BRODERICK, 2001. Nesting of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, in the Mediterranean: a review of the status and conservation needs. Zoology in the Middle East, 24: 45-74.

MARGARITOULIS D., R. ARGANO, İ. BARAN, F. BENTIVEGNA, M.N. BRADAI, J.A. CAMIŇAS, P. CASALE, G. DE METRIO, A. DEMETROPOULOS, G. GEROSA, B.J. GODLEY, D.A. HADDOUND, J. HOUGHTON, L. LAURENT & B. LAZAR. 2003. Loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: present knowledge and conservation perspectives. In: Bolten A.B. & B.E. Witherington (Eds), Loggerhead sea turtles. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, USA, pp.175-198.

MARGARITOULIS D. 2005. The second Mediterranean conference on marine turtles, Turkey (4-7 May 2005). Marine Turtle Newsletter 109: 10.

NEWS AND LEGAL BRIEFS

This section is compiled by Kelly Samek. You can submit news items at any time online at <http://www.seaturtle.org/news/>, via e-mail to [email protected], or by regular mail to Kelly Samek, 127 E 7th Avenue, Havana, Florida 32333, USA. Many of these news items and more can be found at http://www.seaturtle.org/news/, where you can also sign up for news updates by E-mail. Note that News Items are taken directly from various media sources and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the editorial members of the MTN.

THE AMERICAS

Warm Weather Delays Arrival of Sea Turtles on CapeChilled and disoriented sea turtles have begun washing up on Cape Cod beaches, arriving a couple of weeks later than usual this year because of the warmer than usual weather, experts at the New England Aquarium said today. Twenty-five to 150 sea turtles are stranded each year as the water temperatures turn colder. Usually, the turtles begin to wash up around the end of October. This year, beach walkers in Brewster and Dennis found the first three turtles of the season in November. Ninety percent of the turtles that wash up are Kemp’s Ridley turtles, an endangered species. For some reason, many of the young turtles, rather than migrating south in the fall, get caught on the north side of the Cape as water temperatures drop. Then, when temperatures dip below 50 degrees, they become hypothermic and drift helplessly, stunned by the cold. Volunteers hike Cape Cod Bay beaches after high tide, hoping to rescue the turtles before raccoons, birds, or dogs find them. The turtles are examined by veterinarians and biologists at the aquarium who get them back into shape. Nearly all survive and those that can forage for themselves are released back into the wild, the aquarium said. Source: Boston Globe, 12 November 2007.

Beasley Named Animal Planet’s 2007 Hero of the YearJean Beasley, founder and director of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Topsail Island, has been named Animal Planet’s 2007 Hero of the Year. The announcement was made on Nov. 1, following an eight-month search for the Hero of the Year, which began with more than 2,200 nominations submitted by the public. Ten finalists, including Beasley, were chosen by a panel of judges in September, and the winner was selected based on online voting, accomplishments and impact of the nominee’s actions, and the inspirational value those actions have had on others. The award includes a $10,000 donation to the sea turtle hospital and a trip to Hawaii for Beasley, which she said just happens to coincide with her

50th wedding anniversary. The $10,000 donation will be applied toward the construction of a new facility for the sea turtle hospital, which is crammed into an 850-square-foot facility. The land for the new facility was donated by a family on Topsail Island, and Beasley hopes to build a much larger facility that will include an education center to accommodate field trips and other visitors, as well as a gift shop. There are currently 17 turtles at the hospital. Beasley said the best thing about the award is that it helps bring attention to the plight of sea turtles. The recognition comes just as the hospital is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Beasley founded the center in 1997 in memory of her daughter’s efforts to assure the survival of sea turtles. Source: Lumina News, 08 November 2007.

Unusual Loggerhead Sea Turtle Washes Ashore Near SeasideChristmas Eve brought an unusual and ancient traveler to the north Oregon coast – one so old it’s related to the dinosaurs. A large sea turtle washed up on a beach in Gearhart. The loggerhead sea turtle was reported still alive after drifting up with the tides in the early afternoon of December 24th. It died shortly after it was recovered by staff at the Seaside Aquarium, dying sometime on Christmas day. This is the first sea turtle to come ashore in this area in the last five years. That’s not to say they’re uncommon in this area. They normally swim far enough out to sea they rarely show up on land in the northwest. The adult male loggerhead was four feet in length with a three-foot shell, weighing approximately 100 pounds. Though the age of this turtle is unknown, their life expectancy can exceed 50 years. Though loggerheads have been spotted as far north as Alaska, they only come ashore in this region when distressed. Source: Salem-News.com, 28 December 2007.

CARIBBEAN

Nevis Known for Its Relative ObscurityIt may look like a little shack on Nevis’s white sand Oualie beach, but a short visit inside will forever change the way you look at


aquatic life. Huddled around touch tanks in the tiny Under the Sea aquarium beside Oualie Beach Hotel, marine biologist Barbara Whitman’s passion for sea creatures great and small is contagious. As she regales us with funny tales, a clever disguise for her lesson in Marine Biology 101, we take turns touching and holding a wriggling juvenile sea turtle, a ticklish spiny sea urchin, a heavy-shelled queen conch with a protruding foot, and other cute and creepy critters. If you’re in luck and willing to make a donation, you may get to take Crush, a two-year-old hawksbill turtle Whitman rescued as a hatchling, for a “walk,” a swim-snorkel in the open sea on a retractable harness and leash she rigged up. It’s part of the preparation for his eventual release into the wild and a fundraiser for his satellite tracking tag. Whitman believes she is the only one raising and acclimating sea turtles before release. “As far as I know, there is no other program in the world that offers this kind of hands-on opportunity to work with endangered turtles in a rehabilitative setting,” she says. Source: Star Phoenix, 29 December 2007.

St Eustatius Marine Park Receives National Park Status This year has been a major milestone for the St Eustatius Marine Park. It is ten years since the Marine Park first opened its office and started operations to install the first moorings for dive sites and yachts. During this time, the Marine Park has gone from strength to strength in its efforts to protect the 27.5km of coral reef and sea grass beds in the waters around the entire island of St. Eustatius in the Dutch Caribbean. In early December, Paul Hoetjes of MINA, the Department of Environment and Nature of the Netherlands Antilles, announced that the St Eustatius Marine Park has been designated by the Ministry as a National Park, “St Eustatius has become the first island of the Netherlands Antilles to have two National Parks with the Statia National Marine Park – truly an example to follow for the other islands.” During the week-long celebration of this event, relaxed seminars were held at different restaurants each evening during the week to inform the local community and visitors about different aspects of the Marine Park. Seminars included a very well attended presentation about the biology and conservation of turtles around Statia by Sea Turtle Programme Coordinator, Arturo Herrera, and an overview of the benefits of the Marine Park in terms of nature and the economy by Park Manager, Nicole Esteban. Source: Caribbean Net News, 22 December 2007.

EUROPE

Rehab Center for Sea Turtles to be EstablishedAcademics from the Aegean region who want to establish a sea turtle rehabilitation center gathered at Dalyan in Muğla province for the second “National Sea Turtles Symposium” Sunday. Representatives from 11 Turkish universities were at the symposium as well as academics from Italy, Greece and Greek Cyprus. Dalyan is a town famous for Caretta caretta sea turtles. The academics decided to establish a first aid and rehabilitation center for sea turtles at İztuzu beach in Dalyan. The center will be based on a similar one in Naples, Italy and will include an information center on different species of sea turtle. Source: Turkish Daily News, 30 October 2007.

Loggerhead Eggs Cabo de Gata Beach Have HatchedForty eight of the 80 Loggerhead Sea Turtle eggs which were buried on a beach in the Cabo de Gata nature park at the beginning

of October have now hatched, with another eight baby turtles managing to climb up to the surface this weekend – a distance of approximately half a metre. The young turtles are being kept in tanks on the beach until their transfer to special centres in Málaga and Cádiz provinces, where they will be raised in semi-captivity until they reach they reach the age of one. They will then be released on the Almería beach where they were born. The Caretta Caretta eggs were brought from Cabo Verde, in a programme similar to another which has been taking place on the Canary Islands, where 800 Tortuga Boba eggs, as they are known in Spain, were buried on beaches there in early October. Source: typicallyspanish.com, 21 October, 2007.

INDIAN OCEAN

Ban Imposed on Fishing in Orissa SanctuaryOrissa government recently clamped a six-month-long ban on fishing activity along the 20 km stretch Dhamra-Barunei mouth within Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in view of commencement of mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles even as an estimated 25,000 traditional marine fishermen in coastal Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts have voiced their protest on the move. As is the practice, the State government in a bid to curb high mortality of these marine species prohibits fishing activity within a seaward radius of 20 km from Gahirmatha marine sanctuary probably from November 1. The ban is clamped in accordance with the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982 and provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. In view of drop in marine fish catch and subsequent loss of avocation, the traditional marine fishermen have been voicing the demand for the government to provide temporary permits for fishing activity on once-a-week basis. Last year, the government had made a commitment in this regard, but it was never implemented pushing the marine fishermen from these parts to the brink of poverty, said a spokesman of local traditional marine fishermen association. Most traditional fishermen belong to lower socio-economic background, so they use mechanised boats whose capacity is quite low. They fish in 5 km off sea coast with their indigenous ̀ Kani’ net in which turtles never get entangled and they do not venture into deep sea like deep-sea trawlers, who, by using mono-filament nets, lead the breeding species to be entangled and killed in the process. Source: Kalinga Times, 01 November 2007.

Sea Turtles Face Threat From Indian Ports Plan One of the world’s largest sea-turtle nesting beaches is facing a double development threat from industry on India’s east coast. A large port is planned either side of the main nesting site of the threatened Olive Ridley turtles in Orissa where up to 300,000 of the reptiles come ashore to lay their eggs every year. However, over the past 13 years, more than 130,000 Olive Ridleys have been washed up dead in the area, after being caught in the nets of trawlers and gill netters. And now the species, listed as “vulnerable” by the World Conservation Union, is facing the risk of being driven from the coast completely by the proposed ports on either side of its nesting site. Tata Steel, one of the biggest industrial companies in India, is building a 294m deepwater port at Dhamra, near a river mouth, a mere eight miles north-west of the nesting beaches of the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary. On the other side of the nesting beaches, the Korean steelmaker Posco has proposed a 343m dedicated port for its 12 million-ton steel plant, 42 miles to the south. Conservation


groups such as Operation Kachhapa and Greenpeace fear the ports would add to the existing problem of loss of suitable undisturbed breeding habitat. The activists have singled out the Tata Steel port, given its proximity to the nesting beach and the ancillary development it would spawn. Greenpeace referred to a satellite telemetry study by the Wildlife Institute of India in 2001 showing turtle movements near the proposed port. But thousands of them also die a gory death as they are trapped in the nets of fishing trawlers that illegally scour the coast. An expert body of the Indian Supreme Court suggested that the company and the local Orissa government should look for an alternative site. Souce: The Independent (U.K.), 3 December 2007.

Stray Dogs To Be SterilizedHyderabad-based ‘Blue Cross’ an animal welfare organisation recently sought the permission of the forest officials of Bhitarkanika National Park to sterilise stray dogs on Gahiramatha beach to protect the eggs of Olive Ridley sea turtles, said Prasanna Behera, DFO of the park. Every year, stray dogs feast on thousands of eggs by digging the pits of the turtles because of which the organization has decided to sterilise the dogs to check their rising numbers in the nesting sites, Behera added. Nearly 22 stray dogs were sterilized last year by Blue Cross in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Department and some local NGOs at the Devi beach. At least 2500 feral dogs would be sterilized within three months at the Rushikulya beach and Devi beach, he said. The Animal Welfare Board has released funds for the purpose, said Swami S Bhagawan Das of Blue Cross. “We will also provide training to 15 doctors to sterilise the dogs at the three major nesting sites ,” he added. Source: NewIndPress.com, 27 December 2007.

Rekawa Among Top 10 Eco-Friendly Destinations Rekawa where sea turtle watching is popular, is among the top 10 eco-friendly destinations named by online travel community IgoUgo, owned by Travelocity. “The reason we picked Tangalla in the first place was that a nearby beach, Rekawa, is Sri Lanka’s most popular beach for nesting sea turtles. At Rekawa, five of the seven species of sea turtle come to nest, with the most popular being the green turtle. We arrived at the beach at about 8:30 and by about 9:30, one of the staff had spotted a turtle,” the webstate statement read. The list is based on recommendations from IgoUgo editors who reviewed the journals by some of its 350,000 members with comments by the travellers listed. Source: Daily News (Sri Lanka), 31 December 2007.

AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST

Marawah Is UAE’s First Biosphere ReserveThe Marawah Marine Protected Area in Abu Dhabi has become the first biosphere reserve in the country after being recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). Managed by the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), Marawah island, situated on the west of Abu Dhabi’s mainland, is home to important marine and coastal ecosystems including seagrass beds, coral reefs and mangroves. It was declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in 2001 by the government. The reserve hosts 60 per cent of the second largest population of dugongs in the world and is also of great cultural and archaeological significance with the

presence of more than 20 sites dating back to the Stone Age. The accreditation of the island will bring the efforts of the country on the environmental front on a global platform, said Majid Al Mansouri, EAD Secretary-General. Biosphere reserves display a balance between humans and the biosphere and cover a diversity of ecological systems. Four species of marine turtles, 70 species of fish and coral reefs and kilometres of mangrove make up its unique environment. Stone Age houses built more than 7,000 years ago were unearthed on the island a few years back. Source: Gulf News, 02 November 2007.

Green Turtle Nesting Sites Discovered In SenegalA survey has discovered several marine turtle nesting sites on the beaches of Senegal, prompting calls from conservationists to improve protection of the endangered species. The survey, conducted by WWF staff, Senegalese wildlife officials and the local community between July and September, discovered nine new green turtle nests on the beaches of Joal-Fadiouth in the Saloum Delta south of the capital, Dakar. Turtle tracks in the sand left by female turtles were also discovered at nearby Palmarine Beach as well as at Langue de Barbarie at the mouth of the Senegal River in the northern part of the country. In Joal-Fadiouth, where nests were found, each was marked and enclosed with wire mesh to protect them from predators. Thanks to a broadly supported public awareness campaign, illegal turtle capture and consumption has dropped by over 80% in Joal-Fadiouth. In October and November, as hatching time draws near, the surveillance teams will work all night to count the hatchlings as they find their way back to the sea. In addition to green turtles, the waters of Senegal, and the greater West African Marine Ecoregion, are also home to other marine turtle species, including the loggerhead, hawksbill, olive ridley, Kemp’s ridley and leatherback. Source: WWF Press Release, 31 October 2007.

South Africa Set To Protect Marine TurtlesMarthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism of South Africa, today signed the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa in the presence of Mr Douglas Hykle, senior advisor to the Convention on Migratory Species. The objective of the MoU is to protect, conserve, replenish and recover marine turtles and their habitats in the Atlantic Ocean. South Africa has joined 22 West African countries that are committed to the conservation of marine turtles. Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo are the current signatories. This means that all 23 African Range States are now on board. Marine turtles are thought to be numerous along much of the Atlantic coast of Africa, extending some 14 000km from Morocco to South Africa including nesting sites, feeding areas, and migration corridors of importance for six species including the loggerhead turtle, the olive ridley turtle, the green turtle, the hawksbill turtle and the leatherback turtle. The MOU aims to heighten conservation efforts of the populations of marine turtles frequenting the territorial waters and beaches of the Atlantic coast of Africa, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Cape of Good Hope, including Macronesia, which are seriously threatened. Sea turtles are valued as socio-cultural assets as well as economic and food


Sources especially for poor coastal communities. Due to the highly migratory nature of sea turtles living in many different countries through out their lives and continued unsustainable use, sea turtles are now considered endangered or critically endangered in many parts of their range. The major threats to turtles are due to harvesting of turtles or eggs, habitat destruction, development and pollution, and incidental capture in fisheries activities. The Atlantic coast

off Southern Africa is particularly known for the large industrial fishing with apparent devastating effects to sea turtle populations. The MOU acknowledges that if these human-induced threats are not properly managed, that it could lead to a further decline in marine turtle population numbers. Source: Press Release, South Africa Dept. Environ. Affairs & Tourism, 07 November 2007.

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).

Included in this section are publications that have been pre-published online prior to the hardcopy publication. These citations are included because of the frequent delay in hardcopy publication and the importance of keeping everyone informed of the latest research accomplishments. Please email us <[email protected]> when your papers are published online. Check the online bibliography for final citation, including volume and page numbers.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 PAPERS

AMR, Z., A. SHEHAB & M. ABU BAKER. 2007. Recent observations on the herpetofauna of Syria with notes on trade in reptiles. Herpetozoa 20: 21-26. Z. Amr, Dept. of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Jordan University for Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, 22110 Irbid, Jordan.

BOLTEN, A.B. & K.A. BJORNDAL. 2006. Movements of an olive ridley sea turtle in the Bahamas. Bahamas Naturalist and Journal of Science 1: 59-60. A.B. Bolten, ACCSTR, Dept. of Zoology, P.O. Box 118525, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

BOOTH, C. 2007. Reptile report 2006. Orkney Field Club Bulletin 2007: 48.

BORGES, R.C., A. DE OLIVEIRA, N. BERNARDO & R.M.M.C. DA COSTA. 200�. [Analysis of wildlife specimens seized and200�. [Analysis of wildlife specimens seized and collected by the Environmental Police of Juiz de Fora, MG (1998 and 1999).] Diagnostico da fauna silvestre apreendida eDiagnostico da fauna silvestre apreendida e recolhida pela Policia Militar de Meio Ambiente de Juiz de Fora, MG (1998 e 1999). Revista Brasileira De Zoociencias 8: 23-33. Analista Ambiental - Edificio sede do Ibama, CGFIS Bloco C. SCEN, Av. L4 Norte, 70.818-900. Brasilia/DF, Brazil.L4 Norte, 70.818-900. Brasilia/DF, Brazil.

BOWEN, B.W. & S.A. KARL. 2007. Population genetics and phylogeography of sea turtles. Molecular Ecology 16: 4886-4907. B.W. Bowen, Univ. Hawaii, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, P.O.Box 1346, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

CASAL, A.B., F. FREIRE, G. BAUTISTA-HARRIS, A. ARENCIBIA & J. OROS. 2007. Ultrastructural characteristicsUltrastructural characteristics of blood cells of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Anatomia Histologia Embryologia-Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series C 36: 332-335. J. Oros, Univ Las Palmas Gran Canaria, Fac Vet, Unit Vet Histol, Trasmontana S-N, Las Palmas

Gran Canaria, Spain. (E-mail: [email protected])CHANSUE, N., T. HAETRAKUL, T. NAWAWIPAPAN, N.

ASSAWAWONGKASEM & F. JONGFUANGPRIYA. 2007. Comparative studies of sea turtle prostheses efficiency comparing flapped and non-flapped models. Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine 37: 104. Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

CHEN, H-C., I-J. CHENG & E. HONG. 2007. The influence of the beach environment on the digging success and nest site distribution of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, on Wan-an Island, Penghu Archipelago, Taiwan. Journal of Coastal Research 23: 1277-1286. I.J. Cheng, National Taiwan Ocean Univ, Inst Marine Biology, Chilung 20224, Taiwan. (E-mail: [email protected])

CHEN, HUA-LING, MING-BIN YE, RI-JIN LIN, HE-XIANG GU & ZHONG-RONG XIA. 2007. Methods of sea turtles tags in China combining transplant with in-situ incubation for hatching Chelonia mydas eggs. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 26: 456-457. Chinese. (E-mail: [email protected])

COX, T.A., R.L. LEWISON, R. ZYDELIS, L.B. CROWDER, C. SAFINA & A.J. READ. 2007. Comparing effectiveness of experimental and implemented bycatch reduction measures: The ideal and the real. Conservation Biology 21: 1155-1164. T.A. Cox, Duke Univ, Duke Center Marine Conservation, 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd, Beaufort, NC 28516 USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

DA SILVA, A.C.C.D., J.C. DE CASTILHOS, G.G. LOPEZ & P.C.R. BARATA. 2007. Nesting biology and conservation of the olive2007. Nesting biology and conservation of the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Brazil, 1991/1992 to 2002/2003. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87: 1047-1056. A.C. da Silva, ProjetoA.C. da Silva, Projeto


TAMAR-IBAMA, Reserva Biologica de Santa Isabel, Pirambu - SE, 49190-000 Brazil. (E-mail: [email protected])(E-mail: [email protected])

DAVIS, F.R. 2007. The man who saved sea turtles: Archie Carr and the origins of conservation biology. Oxford University Press: Oxford, New York : 312 pp. Dept. of History, Florida State University, 401 Bellamy Bldg., P.O. Box 3062200, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

DAY, R.D., A.L. SEGARS, M.D. ARENDT, A.M. LEE & M.M. PEDEN-ADAMS. 2007. Relationship of blood mercury levels to health parameters in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Environmental Health Perspectives 115: 1421-1428. R.D. Day, NIST, Hollings Marine Lab, 331 Ft Johnson Rd, Charleston, SC 29412 USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

EHRHART, L.M., W.E. REDFOOT & D.A. BAGLEY. 2007. Marine turtles of the central region of the Indian River Lagoon System, Florida. Florida Scientist 70: 415-434. W. E. Redfoot, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, 6295 Sea Harbor Dr., Orlando, FL 32821, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

EPIBIONT RESEARCH COOPERATIVE (ERC). 2007. A synopsis of the literature on the turtle barnacles (Cirripedia: Balanomorpha: Coronuloidea) 1758-2007. Epibiont Research Cooperative Special Publication Number 1: 62 pp. M. G. Frick, Caretta Research Project, P.O. Box 9841, Savannah, GA 31412-9841, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

ESPINOZA, E.O., B.W. BAKER & C.A. BERRY. 2007. The analysis of sea turtle and bovid keratin artefacts using DRIFT spectroscopy and discriminant analysis. Archaeometry 49: 685-698. E.O. Espinoza, U.S. National Fish & Wildlife Forensics Laboratory, 1490 E. Maini St., Ashland, OR 97520, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

GAUL, R.W.JR. & J.C. MITCHELL. 2007. The herpetofauna of Dare County, North Carolina: History, natural history, and biogeography. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 123: 65-109. R.W. Gaul, Jr., East Carolina Univ, Dept Biol, Greenville, NC 27858 USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

GILMAN, E., D. KOBAYASHI, T. SWENARTON, N. BROTHERS, P. DALZELL & I. KINAN-KELLY. 2007. Reducing sea turtle interactions in the Hawaii-based longline swordfish fishery. Biological Conservation 139: 19-28. E. Gilman, Blue Ocean Institute, 2718 Napuaa Pl, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

GRAY, N.J. & L.M. CAMPBELL. 2007. A decommodified experience? Exploring aesthetic, economic and ethical values for volunteer ecotourism in Costa Rica. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 15: 463-482. L.M. Campbell, Duke Univ., NSEES, 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd, Beaufort, NC 28516 USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

GU, HE-XIANG, ZHONG-RONG XIA, HUA-LING CHEN, RI-JIN LIN & PEI-PENG LI. 2007. Methods of sea turtles tags in China. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 26: 458-460. Chinese. (E-mail: [email protected])

GU, HOU-XIANG, ZHONG-RONG XIA, FEI-YAN ZHANG, SHENG-JIE XIAO, HUA-LIN CHEN, RI-JIN LIN, MING-BIN YE & PEI-PENG LI. 2007. Anatomy of several systems in leatherback turtle. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 26: 390-391, 394. Chinese. Pei-peng Li, Herpetodiversity Research Group,

Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China. (E-mail: [email protected])

HARRISON, D. 2007. Cocoa, conservation and tourism - Grande Riviere, Trinidad. Annals of Tourism Research 34: 919-942. London Metropolitan Univ, London N7 8HN, England, UK. (E-mail: [email protected])

HIRAMA, S. & L.M. EHRHART. 2007. Description, prevalence and severity of green turtle fibropapillomatosis in three developmental habitats on the east coast of Florida. Florida Scientist 70: 435-448. S. Hirama, Florida FWCC, 9700 South A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

JACOBSON, E.R. 2007. Placement and problems with pharyngostomy tubes in chelonians. Small Animal and Exotics. Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Volume 21, Orlando, Florida, USA, 2007: 1560. Dept. of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Univ. of Florida, P.O. Box 100126, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

JRIBI, I., M.N. BRADAI & A. BOUAIN. 2007. Impact of2007. Impact of trawl fishery on marine turtles in the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia. Herpetological Journal 17: 110-114. I. Jribi, Faculte des Sciences de Sfax, BP 802, Sfax, 3018, Tunisia. (E-mail: imed.jribi@fss.(E-mail: [email protected])

KAMI, H.G., M. EBRAHIMI & H.R. ESMAEILI. 2007. First record of the sea turtle leech, Ozobranchus branchiatus, in Iranian coastal waters (Hirudinea : Rhynchobdellida). Zoology in the Middle East 40: 118-119. H. G. Kami, Gorgan Univ Agr Sci and Nat Resource, Dept Biology, Fac Sciences, P.O.Box 49165, Gorgan, Iran. (E-mail: [email protected])

KARL, H.V. 2007. The fossil reptiles (Reptilia: Chelonii, Crocodylia) from the marine Early Oligocene of the Weisselster Basin (Central Germany: Saxonia). Studia Geologica Salmanticensia 43: 25-66. Geoscience Centre of the University of Goettingen, Division Geo-Biology, Goldschmidt Str. 3, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany. (E-mail: [email protected])

KARL, H.V. & G. TICHY. 2007. Maorichelys wiffeni n. gen. n. sp., a new sea turtle from the Eocene of New Zealand (Chelonii: Dermochelyidae). Studia Geologica Salmanticensia 43: 11-24. (Address same as above)

LIVORY, A. & B. BURNOUF. 2007. Un echouage inedit surUn echouage inedit sur les cotes du departement de la Manche la tortue de Kemp Lepidochelys kempii (Garman, 1880). ArgiopeArgiope 56: 48-54

LOHMANN, K.J., C.M.F. LOHMANN & N.F. PUTMAN. 2007. Magnetic maps in animals: nature’s GPS. Journal of Experimental Biology 210: 3697-3705. K. J. Lohmann, Univ. of N. Carolina, Dept. of Biology, CB 3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

LUEF, H.J. 2007. Die Meeresschildkroeten von Topsail Island - unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung des Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (KBSTRRC) in North Carolina. Elaphe 15: 53-58. Josef Rendlgasse 11, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria.

MCARTHUR, S. 2007. Chelonian diagnostics and patient assessment. Small Animal and Exotics. Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Volume 21, Orlando,


Florida, USA, 2007: 1561-1568. Holly House Veterinary Surgery, Moortown, Leeds, UK

MCCLELLAN, C.M. &A.J. READ. 2007. Complexity and variation in loggerhead sea turtle life history. Biology Letters 3: 592-94. C.M. McClellan, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

MUDAR, K. & D. ANDERSON. 2007. New evidence for Southeast Asian Pleistocene foraging economies: faunal remains from the early levels of Lang Rongrien Rockshelter, Krabi, Thailand. Asian Perspectives 46: 298-334. K. Mudar, Archeology Program, National Park Service, Washington, DC, USA.

POCOCK, C. 2006. Tourists riding turtles. Australian Zoologist 33: 425-435. Univ. Tasmania, Tourism Programme, Locked Bag 1340, Launceston, Tas 7250, Australia. (E-mail: [email protected])

PUPO, M.M., J.M.R. SOTO & N. HANAZAKI. 200�. [Incidental catch of marine turtles by the artisanal fisheries on Santa Catarina Island, SC, Brazil.] Captura incidental de tartarugas marinhas naCaptura incidental de tartarugas marinhas na pesca artesanal da Ilha de Santa Catarina, SC. Biotemas 19: 63-72. M.M. Pupo, UFSC, CP 5244, CEP 88040-970, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil. (E-mail: [email protected])(E-mail: [email protected])

REICH, K.J., K.A. BJORNDAL & A.B. BOLTEN. 2007. The ‘lost years’ of green turtles: using stable isotopes to study cryptic lifestages. Biology Letters 3: 712-714. K. Reich, ACCSTR, Dept. of Zoology, P.O. Box 118525, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])(E-mail: [email protected])

SANTORO, M., J.A. MORALES & B. RODRIGUEZ-ORTIZ. 2007. Spirorchiidiosis (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) and lesions associated with parasites in Caribbean green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Veterinary RecordVeterinary Record 161: 482-486. M. Santoro, Univ Nacl, Esculea Med Vet, Dept Patol, POB 86, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica.

SANTOS, M.A., A.B. BOLTEN, H.R. MARTINS, B. RIEWALD & K.A. BJORNDAL. 2007. Air-breathing visitors to seamounts:2007. Air-breathing visitors to seamounts: sea turtles. In T.J. Pitcher, T. Morato, P.J.B. Hart, M.R. Clark, N.Haggan & R.S. Santos (Eds.) Seamounts: Ecology, Fisheries & Conservation. Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford. 527 Pp. (p.239-244). M. Santos, DOP Cais Sta Cruz, Horta, Azores 9901-862,M. Santos, DOP Cais Sta Cruz, Horta, Azores 9901-862, Portugal. (E-mail: [email protected])

SCHARER, M.T. & J. H. EPLER. 2007. Long-range dispersal possibilities via sea turtle - A case for Clunio and Pontomyia (Diptera : Chironomidae) in Puerto Rico. Entomological News 118: 273-277. J. H. Epler, 461 Tiger Hammock Rd, Crawfordville, FL 32327 USA.

SCHLEICHER, A. 2007. Bemerkungen zu gehaeuften kadaverfunden von Lederschildkroeten (Dermochelys coriacea) entlang der west- und skelettkueste Namibias. Marginata 15: 58-59. German.

SCHNITTMANN, W. 2007.Beobachtungen bei der Eiablage von Meeresschildkroeten. Ein Besuch des Naturschutzgebietes Mon Repos in Queensland, Australia. Radiata 16: 23-28. German. Elsa-Brandstroem-Strasse 20, 40595 Duesseldorf, Germany. (E-mail: [email protected])

SEMINOFF, J.A., P. ZARATE, M. COYNE, D. FOLEY, D. PARKER, B.N. LYON & P.H. DUTTON. 2007. Post-nesting

migrations of Galapagos green turtles, Chelonia mydas, in relation to oceanographic conditions: integrating satellite telemetry with remotely-sensed ocean data. Endangered Species Research 3: 1-16. J. A. Seminoff, SWFSC, NOAA-NMFS, 8604 La Jolla Shores Dr., La Jolla, CA 92038, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

SPERLING, J.B., G.C. GRIGG, L.A. BEARD & C.J. LIMPUS. 2007. Respiratory properties of blood in flatback turtles (Natator depressus). Journal of Comparative Physiology B-Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology 177: 779-786. J. B. Sperling, Univ Queensland, Sch Integrat Biol, Brisbane, Qld 4072 Australia. (E-mail: [email protected])

STACY, B.A., J.F.X. WELLEHAN, A.M. FOLEY, S.S. COBERLY, L.H. HERBST, C.A. MANIRE, M.M. GARNER, M.D. BROOKINS, A.L. CHILDRESS & E.R. JACOBSON. 2008. Two herpesviruses associated with disease in wild Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Vet. Microbiol. 126: 63-73. E. R. Jacobson, College of Veterinary Medicine, Univ. of Florida, P.O. Box 100126, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

STEWART, K. & C. JOHNSON. 2006. Dermochelys coriacea - Leatherback sea turtle. In: P.A. Meylan (Ed.) Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs 3: 144-157. K. Stewart, NSEES, Duke University, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC, 28516 USA (E-mail: [email protected])

STORELLI, M.M., G. BARONE, A. STORELLI & G.O. MARCOTRIGIANO. 2008. Total and subcellular distribution of trace elements (Cd, Cu and Zn) in the liver and kidney of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from the Mediterranean Sea. Chemosphere 70: 908-913. M. Storelli, Pharmacological-Biological Department, Chemistry and Biochemistry Section, Veterinary Medicine Faculty, University of Bari, Strada prov. le per Casamassima, km 3, 70010 Valenzano, BA, Italy.

TRIPATHY, B., K. SHANKER & B. C. CHOUDHURY. 2006. The status of sea turtles and their habitats in the Lakshadweep archipelago, India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 103: 33-43. B. Tripathy, Wildlife Inst India, Dept Endangered Species Management, P.O.Box 18, Dehra Dun 248001, Uttaranchal, India. (E-mail: [email protected])

TRULLAS, S.C. & F.V. PALADINO. 2007. Micro-environment of2007. Micro-environment of olive ridley turtle nests deposited during an aggregated nesting event. Journal of Zoology (London) 272, no. 4: 367-376. S.C. Trullas, Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa. (E-mail: [email protected])(E-mail: [email protected])

VALENTE, A.L.S., R. CUENCA, M. ANGELES ZAMORA, M. LUZ PARGA, S. LAVIN, F. ALEGRE & I. MARCO. 2007.2007. Computed tomography of the vertebral column and coelomic structures in the normal loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Veterinary Journal 174: 362-370. A.L.S. Valente, Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Fac Vet, Serv Ecopatol Fauna Salvatge, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain. (E-mail: [email protected])

VALENTE, A.L., I. MARCO, M. ANGELES ZAMORA, M. LUZ PARGA, S. LAVIN, F. ALEGRE & R. CUENCA. 2007.2007. Radiographic features of the limbs of juvenile and subadult


loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Canadian Journal of Verterinary Research 71: 305-313. (Address same as above)

WALSH, M.T. 2007. A clinician’s view of sea turtle medicine. Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Volume 21, Orlando, Florida, USA, 2007: 1437-39. Sea World Adventure Park, 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, FL 32821, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

WHITE, D. & J. GILL. 2007. A “lost years” flatback turtle Natator depressus (Garman, 1858) found. Northern Territory Naturalist 19: 51-53. D. White, WWF-Australia, GPO Box 1268, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia

WILLIAMS, N. 2007. Route masters. Current Biology 17: R343-R344.

WILSON, J., C. RILLING, J. DESFOSSE & K. BREWSTER-GEISZ. 2007. Temporal and spatial analyses of pelagic longline time/area closures in the Gulf of Mexico to reduce discards of bluefin tuna. ICCAT Collective Volume of Scientific Papers 60: 1179-1236. J. Wilson, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

WITHERINGTON, B.E., R. HERREN & M. BRESETTE. 2006. Caretta caretta - Loggerhead sea turtle. In P.A. Meylan (Ed.) Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs 3: 74-89. B. Witherington, Florida FWCC - FWRI, 9700 South A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

WITHERINGTON, B.E., R. HERREN & M. BRESETTE. 2006. Chelonia mydas - Green turtle. In P.A. Meylan (Ed.) Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs 3: 90-104. (Address same as above)

WITZELL, W.N. 2007. Lepidochelys kempii developmental habitat. Herpetological Review 38: 332-333. SEFSC, NOAA-NMFS, 75 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami, FL 33149 USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

YADAV, R.S. & J.P. SINGH. 2007. Illegal trade of sea turtles in coastal regions of Orissa and West Bengal. Journal of Living World 14: 33-39. Department of Zoology, K.S. Saket P.O. College, Ayodhya, Faizabad (U.P.), India.

ZARDUS, J.D. & G.H. BALAZS. 2007. Two previously unreported barnacles commensal with the green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758), in Hawaii and a comparison of their attachment modes. Crustaceana 80: 1303-1315. J.D. Zardus, Dept. of

Biology, The Citadel, 171 Moultrie St., Charleston, SC 29409, USA. (E-mail: [email protected])

ZBINDEN, J.A., C. DAVY, D. MARGARITOULIS & R. ARLETTAZ. 2007. Large spatial variation and female bias in the estimated sex ratio of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings of a Mediterranean rookery. Endangered Species Research 3: 305-312. J. Zbinden, Zoological Institute, Division of Conservation Biology, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. (E-mail:(E-mail: [email protected])

TECHNICAL REPORTSPANAGOPOULOU, A., C. DEAN & D. MARGARITOULIS. 2007.2007.

Short Report on Sea Turtle Conservation on Zakynthos Island, Greece, during 2007. Archelon, The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Athens. Submitted to the European Commission and the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention

ROBINSON, P., N. KYRIACOPOULOU & L. VENIZELOS. 2007. Update report on marine turtle conservation in Zakynthos (Laganas Bay), Greece 2007. Submitted to The European Commission and the Standing Committee Bern Convention; Greek Ministry of Environment, Planning and Public Works; Management Agency of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos: 25 pp. MEDASSET, 1(c) Licavitou Street, 106 72 Athens, Greece. (E-mail: [email protected])

THESES AND DISSERTATIONSALONSO, L. 2007. Epibiontes Asociados a la Tortuga Verde

Juvenil (Chelonia mydas) en el área de Alimentación y Desarrollo de Cerro Verde, Uruguay. Tesis de Licenciatura en Ciencias Biológicas. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. 60 pp. (E-mail: [email protected] ).

ARTHUR, K.E. 2007. Ecotoxicology of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula and health implications for green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). Ph.D. Dissertation. The University of Queensland, Brisbane: 223 pp.

BADILLO, F.J. 2007. Epizoitos y parasitos de la tortuga bobaEpizoitos y parasitos de la tortuga boba (Caretta caretta) en el Mediterraneo Occidental. Ph.D. Thesis. Facultat De Ciencies Biologiques. Univ Valencia: 262 pp.Univ Valencia: 262 pp.

SPRING, J. 2008. A histological comparison of tumor characteristics in adult nesting female and foraging juvenile Hawaiian green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas): Is regression related to age? M.S. Thesis. Columbia University: 39 pp.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Publication of this issue was made possible by donations from the following individuals: Save-A-Turtle, Inc, Holger Vetter, R Thomas Ross, Daniela Hetzel and organizations: Conservation International, International Sea Turtle Society, IUCN - Marine Turtle Specialist Group, Sea World, Inc., Sirtrack Ltd., US National Marine Fisheries Service-Office of Protected Resources, Western Pacific regional Fishery Management Council.

The MTN-Online is produced and managed by Michael Coyne.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily shared by the Editors, the Editorial Board, Duke University, or any individuals or organizations providing financial support.


The remit of the Marine Turtle Newsletter (MTN) is to provide current information on marine turtle research, biology, conservation and status. A wide range of material will be considered for publication including editorials, articles, notes, letters and announcements. The aim of the MTN is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas with a fast turn around to ensure that urgent matters are promptly brought to the attention of turtle biologists and conservationists world-wide. The MTN will be published quarterly in January, April, July, and October of each year. Articles, notes and editorials will be peer-reviewed. Announcements may be edited but will be included in the forthcoming issue if submitted prior to the 15th of February, May, August and November respectively. All submissions should be sent to the editors and not the members of the editorial board. A contact address should be given for all authors together with an e-mail or fax number for correspondence regarding the article.TextTo ensure a swift turnaround of articles, we ask that, where possible, all submissions be in electronic format either as an attached file in e-mail or on compact disc in Word for Windows or saved as a text file in another word-processing package. Should these formats not be suitable, authors should contact the editors to seek alternative arrangements. If internet access or compatible computer facilities are not available, hard copies of the article can be sent to the editors by mail or fax.Scientific names should be italicised and given in full in their first appearance. Citations in the text should be in alphabetical order and take the form of: (Carr et al. 1974; Hailman & Elowson 1992; Lagueux 1997). Please keep the number of references to a minimum.

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Tables/Figures/IllustrationsAll figures should be stored as separate files: .tif or .jpeg format. The editors will scan figures, slides or photos for authors who do not have access to such facilities. Tables and figures should be given in Arabic numerals. Photographs will be considered for inclusion.

ReferencesThe literature cited should include only references cited in the text. All journal titles should be given in full. Please use the following formats:For an article in a journal: HENDRICKSON, J. 1958. The green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas (Linn.),

in Malaya and Sarawak. Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of London 130:455-535.

For a book:MROSOVSKY, N. 1983. Conserving Sea Turtles. British Herpetological

Society, London. 177pp.For an article in an edited volume; GELDIAY, R., T. KORAY & S. BALIK. 1982. Status of sea turtle

populations (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) in the northern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. In: K.A. Bjorndal (Ed.). Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington D.C. pp. 425-434.

Where there are multiple authors the initials should precede the last name except in the case of the first author:BJORNDAL, K.A., A.B. BOLTEN, C.J. LAGUEUX & A. CHAVES. 1996.

Probability of tag loss in green turtles nesting at Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Journal of Herpetology 30:567-571.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS

The Marine Turtle Newsletter (MTN) is distributed quarterly to more than 2000 recipients in over 100 nations world-wide. In order to maintain our policy of free distribution to colleagues throughout the world, the MTN must receive $30,000 annually in donations. We appeal to all of you, our readers and contributors, for continued financial support to maintain this venture. All donations are greatly appreciated and will be acknowledged in a future issue of the MTN. Typical personal donations have ranged from $25-100 per annum, with organisations providing significantly more support. Please give what you can. Donations to the MTN are handled under the auspices of SEATURTLE.ORG and are fully tax deductible under US laws governing 501(c)(3) non-profit organisations. Donations are preferable in US dollars as a Credit Card payment (MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover) via the MTN website <http://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/>. In addition we are delighted to receive donations in the form of either a Personal Cheque drawn on a US bank, an International Banker’s Cheque drawn on a US bank, a US Money Order, an International Postal Money Order, or by Direct Bank Wire (please contact [email protected] for details) Please do not send non-US currency cheques.

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issue number 119 january 2008 - sea turtle

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