Browsing by Subject "Nesting"
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Item Open Access AN EVALUATION OF NEST RELOCATION AS A LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE (Caretta caretta) MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE IN NORTH CAROLINA(2003) Rush, Matthew DA network of volunteers, under the guidance of the North Carolina Sea Turtle Protection Program, monitors and protects loggerhead nests laid on state beaches. Although volunteers are encouraged to allow nest incubation to proceed naturally and with minimal intervention, some volunteers will relocate freshly laid nests that are threatened by possible inundation by high tides, heavy beach traffic, or under a sloughing escarpment. Nest relocation may have negative effects: it may reduce hatching success, alter incubation duration, and reduce hatchling fitness. Thus an evaluation of hatching success and incubation duration at nesting areas under the protection of the NC Sea Turtle Protection Program is warranted. My objective for the evaluation was to use loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nest activity data from four high-density North Carolina nesting areas – Bald Head Island, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Topsail Island – to assess statistically the management technique of nest relocation in North Carolina. Using 1997 to 2001 data, provided by the North Carolina Sea Turtle Protection Program, I evaluated hatching success and incubation duration among in-situ nests, relocated nests, and in-situ nests affected by tidal inundation. During each of the five years, 1997 to 2001, the average number of nests moved on the study’s four North Carolina nesting areas approached 40 to 60 percent. The evaluation of hatching success showed a tendency of more loggerhead hatchlings hatching in in-situ nests than in relocated nests. Also, the evaluation indicated a tendency of in-situ nests having longer incubation durations than relocated nests. The evaluation showed relocated nests might have shorter incubation periods, and thus present nest relocation techniques in North Carolina might be skewing northern sub-population sexratios more in favor of female hatchling production. I formulated a series of nest relocation recommendations with the evaluation results: use nest relocation as a last resort, only relocate nests that will be over-washed daily by high tides, do not base nest relocation measures on previous summer storms, and do not relocate nests in heavy foot traffic areas.Item Open Access Bycatch Mortality of Leatherback Turtles in Trinidad's Artisanal Gillnet Fishery(2006) Gass, JordanAlthough listed globally as critically endangered, leatherback turtles maintain a strong nesting population in Trinidad. Trinidad supports an estimated population of 6,000 nesting females, which despite increased beach protection still face significant risk in the form of coastal gillnets. Incidental captures also impact fishers, who incur financial losses in reduced fishing time from net damage and associated repair costs. During the 2005 nesting season, my project used fisher participation in villages in the northeast region of Trinidad to attempt to measure bycatch levels. The methods used to quantify bycatch are described and results discussed. Challenges encountered during the project are also assessed to plan modifications of project methods to enhance fisher participation and confidence in results.Item Open Access USING SURVEYS AS A TOOL TO ASSESS SEA TURTLE DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT USE, AND TO PROMOTE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT(2007-05) Saladin, NicoleFemale loggerhead sea turtles nesting on Bald Head Island, N.C. were equipped with satellite transmitters to assess their post-nesting movements and habitat use. The resulting surface satellite data revealed foraging and overwintering sites used by these sea turtles, but data provide limited benthic habitat information. To complement this data, a survey was developed to target N.C. dive shops, fishermen and offshore researchers to gather information in an effort to characterize the features of these habitats. An online survey and database will allow for public reporting of sea turtle sightings data and habitat information to complement existing long-term observation studies. By engaging the public in this citizen-scientist approach to sea turtle monitoring, these efforts may promote state-wide awareness and conservation efforts for sea turtles, as well as provide valuable data to researchers. The survey will eventually be expanded to accommodate global sightings reports and data will be managed through regional networks.