Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back
Adult sea turtles undertake periodic long-distance migrations between foraging and nesting areas during breeding migrations, and an understanding the connectivity between these two important habitats can contribute to efficient conservation planning. We present the first round-trip migrations of thr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420307101 |
| _version_ | 1828491027713884160 |
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| author | Nicolas James Pilcher Clara Jimena Rodriguez-Zarate Marina A. Antonopoulou Daniel Mateos-Molina Himansu Sekhar Das Ibrahim Abdullah Bugla |
| author_facet | Nicolas James Pilcher Clara Jimena Rodriguez-Zarate Marina A. Antonopoulou Daniel Mateos-Molina Himansu Sekhar Das Ibrahim Abdullah Bugla |
| author_sort | Nicolas James Pilcher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adult sea turtles undertake periodic long-distance migrations between foraging and nesting areas during breeding migrations, and an understanding the connectivity between these two important habitats can contribute to efficient conservation planning. We present the first round-trip migrations of three green sea turtles in the Arabian region, from a foraging area to a nesting site and back, along with an interpretation of reproductive behaviour which would not have been possible from open-ended tracks. We studied habitat connectivity between seagrass foraging areas in the UAE and nesting beaches, and used laparoscopy as a diagnostic tool to determine gender and reproductive state to enhance the value of satellite tracking data. We identify habitat connectivity between a foraging area at Bu Tinah in the UAE and a nesting site at Ras al Hadd in Oman, document migratory behaviour in the Arabian region, and demonstrate the enhanced value of combining laparoscopy when satellite tracking sea turtles from foraging areas. The results of our work can help develop bilateral or multi-lateral conservation strategies, contribute to the identification of Important Turtle Areas (ITAs), and support national and regional population assessments. In addition, our findings will complement risk assessments for sea turtles in the face of urban and industrial development, climate change, fishery pressure, and shipping activities. This work successfully linked foraging areas and nesting sites, and our approach can be used to provide value-added benefits to future tracking of sea turtles from foraging areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:54:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7965dbf0fb8b4c2aba7734cf607ff208 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:54:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-7965dbf0fb8b4c2aba7734cf607ff2082022-12-22T01:10:09ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942020-09-0123e01169Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and backNicolas James Pilcher0Clara Jimena Rodriguez-Zarate1Marina A. Antonopoulou2Daniel Mateos-Molina3Himansu Sekhar Das4Ibrahim Abdullah Bugla5Marine Research Foundation, 136 Lorong Pokok Seraya 2, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; Corresponding author.Emirates Nature – WWF, P.O. Box 45553, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesEmirates Nature – WWF, P.O. Box 45553, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesEmirates Nature – WWF, P.O. Box 45553, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesEnvironment Agency Abu Dhabi, P.O Box: 45553, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesEnvironment Agency Abu Dhabi, P.O Box: 45553, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesAdult sea turtles undertake periodic long-distance migrations between foraging and nesting areas during breeding migrations, and an understanding the connectivity between these two important habitats can contribute to efficient conservation planning. We present the first round-trip migrations of three green sea turtles in the Arabian region, from a foraging area to a nesting site and back, along with an interpretation of reproductive behaviour which would not have been possible from open-ended tracks. We studied habitat connectivity between seagrass foraging areas in the UAE and nesting beaches, and used laparoscopy as a diagnostic tool to determine gender and reproductive state to enhance the value of satellite tracking data. We identify habitat connectivity between a foraging area at Bu Tinah in the UAE and a nesting site at Ras al Hadd in Oman, document migratory behaviour in the Arabian region, and demonstrate the enhanced value of combining laparoscopy when satellite tracking sea turtles from foraging areas. The results of our work can help develop bilateral or multi-lateral conservation strategies, contribute to the identification of Important Turtle Areas (ITAs), and support national and regional population assessments. In addition, our findings will complement risk assessments for sea turtles in the face of urban and industrial development, climate change, fishery pressure, and shipping activities. This work successfully linked foraging areas and nesting sites, and our approach can be used to provide value-added benefits to future tracking of sea turtles from foraging areas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420307101Chelonia mydasGreen sea turtlesHabitat connectivitySatellite trackingLaparoscopyOman |
| spellingShingle | Nicolas James Pilcher Clara Jimena Rodriguez-Zarate Marina A. Antonopoulou Daniel Mateos-Molina Himansu Sekhar Das Ibrahim Abdullah Bugla Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back Global Ecology and Conservation Chelonia mydas Green sea turtles Habitat connectivity Satellite tracking Laparoscopy Oman |
| title | Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back |
| title_full | Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back |
| title_fullStr | Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back |
| title_full_unstemmed | Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back |
| title_short | Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back |
| title_sort | combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking successful round trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back |
| topic | Chelonia mydas Green sea turtles Habitat connectivity Satellite tracking Laparoscopy Oman |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420307101 |
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