Delineating foraging grounds of a loggerhead turtle population through satellite tracking of juveniles

Tracking of juvenile sea turtles is a research priority to inform the protection of relevant habitats and ensure sustainable rates of recruitment into adult populations. Based on satellite tracking, mixed stock analysis, and mark–recapture studies, Drini Bay in the South Adriatic Sea, Central Medite...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aquatic conservation 2020-07, Vol.30 (7), p.1476-1482
Main Authors: Snape, Robin T.E., Schofield, Gail, White, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adriatic Sea
Aquatic reptiles
behaviour
Carapace
caretta
Caretta caretta
Foraging
Foraging habitats
Habitat selection
Habitat utilization
Habitats
juvenile movements
Juveniles
Knowledge bases (artificial intelligence)
Mediterranean
MPA
Nesting
Rookeries
satellite telemetry
Satellite tracking
Satellites
Sea turtles
Shallow water
Turtles
Winter
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Summary:Tracking of juvenile sea turtles is a research priority to inform the protection of relevant habitats and ensure sustainable rates of recruitment into adult populations. Based on satellite tracking, mixed stock analysis, and mark–recapture studies, Drini Bay in the South Adriatic Sea, Central Mediterranean, has been confirmed as an important foraging site used by loggerhead turtles from all major rookeries in the Mediterranean subpopulation. Three juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from Drini Bay were tracked for 763, 364, and 211 days respectively. All turtles exhibited different movement patterns. The two smaller turtles ranged widely beyond the bay. One of these (69.5 cm curved‐carapace length; CCL) used the coldest region of the Mediterranean during the first winter of tracking where mean weekly temperatures dipped below 12°C but moved southwards to warmer waters during the second winter. In comparison, the other (66 cm CCL) individual moved south to winter in warmer waters from the outset. Both individuals returned to Drini Bay during summer, demonstrating fidelity to the study site. The third turtle, which was larger (76 cm CCL), remained in Drini Bay for the duration of tracking. These results support the findings of other mark–recapture studies at Drini Bay, which have suggested that the foraging site is being used in a transient way by immature turtles. All three turtles preferentially used the shallow waters (
ISSN:1052-7613
1099-0755
DOI:10.1002/aqc.3302