Indian Ocean

Population Structure Enhances Perspectives on Regional Management of the Western Indian Ocean Green Turtle.

To refine our understanding of the spatial structure of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO), we analysed patterns of mitochondrial DNA (396 base pairs control region fragment) variation among 171 samples collected at five distinct locations (Kenya, Northern Mozambique, and three locations in the Republic of Seychelles: the Granitic, Amirantes, and Farquhar groups) and compared them to genetic data (n = 288), previously collected from 10 southern locations in the SWIO.

14 September 2018

Population Structure of Marine Turtles in Coastal Waters of Qatar

Knowledge of the interrelationships between habitats and life-stage development in marine turtles requires an understanding of recruitment, size and age at maturity, sex ratios, growth and sexual development rates, survivorship and nesting probabilities. These data may be used to determine the status and survival of turtle populations during earlier life stages and for the development of appropriate conservation strategies.

14 May 2019

Plasma Biochemistry Values in Wild Female Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), During Nesting and Foraging Seasons in Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf

Normal reference ranges of biochemical parameters are considered important for assessing and monitoring the health status of sea turtles. For this study, plasma biochemistry determinations were analyzed in normal adult nesting and foraging hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). Blood samples were collected in March–April during (nesting season) and December–November (foraging season). Differences in plasma biochemistry values, except for creatinine and lipase, were statistically different (P < 0.05) between the two periods.

14 September 2018

The Olive Ridley Turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, in the Persian Gulf: A Review of the Observations, Including the First Nesting of the Species in the Area

In total, there are 11 confirmed records of the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, from the Persian Gulf through June 2015, including 9 and 2 records from northern and southern coasts of the Gulf, respectively. Furthermore, on 16 May 2013, nesting was recorded from Nayband Marine-Coastal National Park, which is the first record of olive ridley nesting in the Gulf and is also the most northerly nesting account for the species in the Western Indian Ocean. Although few, these records suggest that the species lives and reproduces in the Persian Gulf.

14 September 2018

The Olive Ridley Turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, in the Persian Gulf: A Review of the Observations, Including the First Nesting of the Species in the Area

In total, there are 11 confirmed records of the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, from the Persian Gulf through June 2015, including 9 and 2 records from northern and southern coasts of the Gulf, respectively. Furthermore, on 16 May 2013, nesting was recorded from Nayband Marine-Coastal National Park, which is the first record of olive ridley nesting in the Gulf and is also the most northerly nesting account for the species in the Western Indian Ocean. Although few, these records suggest that the species lives and reproduces in the Persian Gulf.

14 September 2018

Marine Turtle Nesting at St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh

Five species of marine turtle are reported to occur in the territorial waters of Bangladesh: the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), the green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) (Ahmed et al. 1986; Groombridge & Luxmoore 1986; Rashid 1997; Rashid et al. 1999). Sea turtles were omitted from the list of protected species of the Bangladesh Wildlife Preservation Amendment Act, Schedule III, of 1974.

17 September 2018

Use of Long‐Distance Migration Patterns of an Endangered Species to Inform Conservation Planning for the World's Largest Marine Protected Area.

Large marine protected areas (MPAs), each hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, have been set up by governments around the world over the last decade as part of efforts to reduce ocean biodiversity declines, yet their efficacy is hotly debated. The Chagos Archipelago MPA (640,000 km2) (Indian Ocean) lies at the heart of this debate. We conducted the first satellite tracking of a migratory species, the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), within the MPA and assessed the species’ use of protected versus unprotected areas.

14 September 2018

The Effects of Ocean Acidification on Hawksbill Sea Turtles (Eretmochelys Imbricata): An Ecosystem Approach.

Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with global populations demonstrating a decline of more than 80% over the past century (Troëng et al., 2005; Boden, 2008). Hawksbill sea turtles are one of the only vertebrate species that feed exclusively on sponges, relying on tropical coral reefs and their associated biodiversity for foraging grounds and shelter (Meylan, 1988; Eckert & Grobois, 2001).

14 September 2018

Positive Conservation Outcome from Religious teachings: Changes to Subsistence Turtle Harvest Practices at Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean

We document and describe the change in attitudes, hunting behaviour and historic subsistence use of sea turtles by Cocos Malay people of Islamic faith in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean over the last 180 years. We used several lines of evidence including historical documents, scientific journals, archived records and interviews with current and former residents. The results are grouped in two time categories: 1) use of turtles prior to mid-1980s and 2) use of turtles after mid-1980s.

15 July 2019

Comparison of the Fatty Acid Profiles of Liver and Fat from Five Indian Ocean Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta).

Many sea turtle species are threatened or endangered according to the IUCN Red List. Loggerhead turtles are protected in South African waters, but are migratory, thus may not be so throughout their range. Five individual turtles were caught in the beach-protecting nets off the Indian Ocean coast and provided liver and adipose samples for lipid and fatty acid analysis as part of a long term programme assessing the lipid profiles of southern Indian Ocean marine organisms.

14 September 2018