Browsing by Author "Shaver, DJ"
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Item Open Access A call for evaluation of the contribution made by rescue, resuscitation, rehabilitation, and release translocations to kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) population recovery(Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 2016-01-01) Caillouet, CW; Putman, NF; Shaver, DJ; Valverde, RA; Seney, EE; Lohmann, KJ; Mansfield, KL; Gallaway, BJ; Flanagan, JP; Godfrey, MH© 2016. Monica F. Blasi. All Rights Reserved. Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) conservation practices permitted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), under authority of the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973, include translocations in which eggs or turtles are taken into captivity for various reasons and intervals, and turtles are later released into coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) or the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWAO). In 2013, the IUCN Species Survival Commission defined conservation translocation as the deliberate movement of organisms from one site for release in another, with the intention that it must yield a measurable conservation benefit at the levels of a population, species or ecosystem, and not only provide benefit to translocated individuals. Translocations of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles that are found injured, ill, or otherwise debilitated, then rescued, resuscitated if necessary, rehabilitated, and released into the GoM or the NWAO have not been evaluated to determine whether they qualify as conservation translocations. We refer to them as rescue, resuscitation, rehabilitation, and release (i.e., RRRR) translocations. Captivity and human care, by altering behavioral and physiological fitness of RRRR translocated Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles, have the potential to influence post-release survival, growth, navigation, foraging, migration, maturation, natal beach homing, and reproduction. We recommend that NMFS and USFWS develop a plan for hypothesis-driven research and modeling aimed at determining if and how RRRR translocations contribute to Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle population recovery. Similar evaluations of RRRR translocations are also needed for other sea turtle species.Item Open Access Hawksbill sea turtle life-stage durations, somatic growth patterns, and age at maturation(Endangered Species Research, 2021-01-01) Avens, L; Ramirez, MD; Goshe, LR; Clark, JM; Meylan, AB; Teas, W; Shaver, DJ; Godfrey, MH; Howell, LSea turtles exhibit complex life histories, encompassing intermittent use of multiple spatially separated habitats throughout long lifespans. This broad scope presents challenges for collecting comprehensive biological and ecological data, yet absence of such information complicates evaluation of management strategies for populations at risk of extinction. Hawksbill sea turtles Eretmochelys imbricata are endangered worldwide, primarily due to long-term, directed harvest. However, available information regarding life stage durations, somatic growth patterns, and maturation attributes to enhance understanding of anthropogenic impacts and recovery potential remains constrained. To address these data gaps in the western North Atlantic, we conducted skeletochronological analysis for hawksbills stranded along US coastlines to generate straightline carapace length (SCL)-at-age and somatic growth data. Generalized additive mixed models and bootstrapped von Bertalanffy growth curves were used to characterize age at maturation and covariate influence on somatic growth. For a subset of turtles, annual bone growth incrementspecific stable isotope and trace element analyses were incorporated to evaluate habitat use relative to age. Integration of these data sources indicated that juveniles transitioned from oceanic to neritic habitat at 1-3 yr old and mean SCLs of 23-24 cm (range 15.7-35.0 cm). Initial ages at maturation for this population at minimum nesting female SCLs were estimated at 15-25 yr. Somatic growth varied significantly relative to size, age, and stranding location, while no association with sex or calendar year was observed. Our results demonstrate the utility of these complementary analytical approaches for generating baseline data fundamental to characterizing hawksbill sea turtle population attributes.