Meeting Abstract
P1.37 Jan. 4 Return to the natural nesting beach: a transition from protected egg hatcheries in a recovering sea turtle species LEBLANC, A.M.*; WIBBELS, T.; MARTINEZ-O., H.J.; ANTONIO-P., M.; LIRA-R., D.; PENA-V., J.; BURCHFIELD, P.M.; SCHROEDER, B.; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX; Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX; Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX; Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX; Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX; NMFS leblanc@uab.edu
The Kemp�s ridley has historically been the most endangered sea turtle in the world. The majority nest at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. To prevent poaching and predation, almost all of the nests have been relocated to protected egg corrals for several decades. The number of nesting females has consistently increased for over a decade. If the trend continues, it may be necessary to leave some nests in their natural location. A two year study was conducted in an attempt to evaluate the effects of allowing nests to incubate in their natural location following a mass nesting, or �arribada�. The findings from the initial year of the study suggest that there were a limited number of predators in the section of the beach examined (raccoons, skunks, coyotes, ghost crabs, birds, ants, and flies). Nests were frequented on a daily basis by several predators. These predators were very efficient at detecting nests and finding hatchlings. During the second year, the same types of predators were identified; however the vertebrate predators visited the nesting area less frequently. There were several factors which could potentially account for the variation in predator abundance. Data from both years suggest that the restricted number of predators may lead to predator satiation which could enhance hatching survival. Therefore, leaving nests in a restricted area from an arribada may represent an efficient management strategy for allowing a higher proportion of hatchlings to make it to the water.
