Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program

Sea turtle populations are declining and evidence-based methods for supporting their populations are required. Captive breeding and release programs can be effective, offering the opportunity to supplement nature populations; however, sea turtles require specific conditions to successfully breed. He...

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Main Authors: Ruth Maggeni, William E. Feeney
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-12-01
Series:Global Ecology and Conservation
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420308192
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author Ruth Maggeni
William E. Feeney
author_facet Ruth Maggeni
William E. Feeney
author_sort Ruth Maggeni
collection DOAJ
description Sea turtle populations are declining and evidence-based methods for supporting their populations are required. Captive breeding and release programs can be effective, offering the opportunity to supplement nature populations; however, sea turtles require specific conditions to successfully breed. Here, we present insights gained from a 12 year Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) captive breeding program that was conducted at the Underwater Observatory Marine Park, Eilat, Israel, between 1982 and 1997. As the first program of its kind for the Hawksbill sea turtle, insights were gained largely through trial-and-error and advice from experienced individuals. The key insight gained during this program was the critical importance of pre-breeding separation of the sexes; turtles did not breed prior to pre-breeding separation being implemented, but it became predictably regular once it was. Over the course of the program, 161 two-three year old hatchlings were introduced to the Red Sea, which was enabled largely as a result of pre-breeding separation being implemented.
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spelling doaj.art-af15df32237b4595a239183b2c7bb5db2022-12-21T23:16:51ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942020-12-0124e01278Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding programRuth Maggeni0William E. Feeney1Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia; Corresponding author.Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia; Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany; Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB23EJ, UKSea turtle populations are declining and evidence-based methods for supporting their populations are required. Captive breeding and release programs can be effective, offering the opportunity to supplement nature populations; however, sea turtles require specific conditions to successfully breed. Here, we present insights gained from a 12 year Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) captive breeding program that was conducted at the Underwater Observatory Marine Park, Eilat, Israel, between 1982 and 1997. As the first program of its kind for the Hawksbill sea turtle, insights were gained largely through trial-and-error and advice from experienced individuals. The key insight gained during this program was the critical importance of pre-breeding separation of the sexes; turtles did not breed prior to pre-breeding separation being implemented, but it became predictably regular once it was. Over the course of the program, 161 two-three year old hatchlings were introduced to the Red Sea, which was enabled largely as a result of pre-breeding separation being implemented.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420308192Captive breedingConservationEretmochelys imbricataHawksbill sea turtleSea turtle
spellingShingle Ruth Maggeni
William E. Feeney
Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program
Global Ecology and Conservation
Captive breeding
Conservation
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
Sea turtle
title Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program
title_full Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program
title_fullStr Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program
title_full_unstemmed Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program
title_short Insights into the successful breeding of Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from a long-term captive breeding program
title_sort insights into the successful breeding of hawksbill sea turtles eretmochelys imbricata from a long term captive breeding program
topic Captive breeding
Conservation
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
Sea turtle
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420308192
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