Physical characteristics of free-living sea turtles that had and had not ingested debris in Microregion of the Lakes, Brazil

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2018-12, Vol.137, p.723-727
• Main Authors: Rosolem Lima, Samara, da Silva Barbosa, João Marcos, Gomes Ferreira Padilha, Felipe, Veiga Saracchini, Paula Gabrielle, de Almeida Braga, Maurício, da Silva Leite, Juliana, Reis Ferreira, Ana Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; Animals; Anthropogenic factors; Aquatic reptiles; Autopsy; Cachexia; Cachexia - etiology; Cachexia - veterinary; Carapace; Chelonia mydas; Compaction; Conservation; Dermochelys coriacea; Detritus; Eating; Fecal Impaction - etiology; Fecal Impaction - veterinary; Female; Ingestion; Intestines; Lakes; Large intestine; Marine conservation; Marine pollution; Morbidity; Necropsy; Physical characteristics; Physical properties; Pollution; Reptiles & amphibians; Sea turtles; Turtles; Vulnerability; Water Pollutants - toxicity
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.032

The ingestion of detritus by sea turtles results in high mortality and morbidity. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of free-living sea turtles that ingested anthropogenic inorganic detritus in comparison to those that did not. A total of 186 necropsy files were analyzed in marine turtles from the beaches of the Microregion dos Lagos, Rio de Janeiro. Among the turtles that ingested detritus, the mean turtle was female and cachectic, with a carapace length of 36,6 cm, detritus accumulated in the large intestine, and fecal compaction. It seems most likely that's low food transit, combined with the multiplicity of ingestion, favored the accumulation of detritus. This ingestion resulted in cachexia associated with fecal compaction, since the greatest accumulation was in the large intestine. The intake of detritus by turtles was not punctual but continuous. These studies demonstrated the vulnerability of these animals to environmental pollution. •Nearly half of the sea turtle deaths in Rio de Janeiro result from the ingestion of litter.•The greatest accumulation of detritus in the gastrointestinal tract is in the large intestine.•Fecal compaction was 6,3 times greater in turtles who ate garbage.•Ingesting of detritus is recurrent throughout life.