Strong site fidelity and longer internesting interval for solitary nesting olive ridley sea turtles in Brazil
Matos, L.; Silva, A.C.C.D.; Castilhos, J.C.; Weber, M.I.; Soares, L.S.; Vicente, L. (2012). Strong site fidelity and longer internesting interval for solitary nesting olive ridley sea turtles in Brazil. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 159(5): 1011-1019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-1881-1
In: Marine Biology: International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 0025-3162; e-ISSN 1432-1793, more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Matos, L.
- Silva, A.C.C.D.
- Castilhos, J.C.
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- Weber, M.I.
- Soares, L.S.
- Vicente, L.
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| Abstract |
Olive ridley sea turtles display two different types of nesting behavior: in arribada (synchronous mass nesting) or solitarily. Contrarily to arribadas, little has been published about solitary nesters. This study aimed to expand the knowledge on internesting interval and site fidelity of solitary nesting olive ridleys and to test a possible development of arribada nesting behavior. Data were collected in Sergipe (Brazil) over 125 km of beach from 10°30'S/36º23'W to 11°26'S/37º19'W, between nesting seasons 2004/2005 and 2006/2007. From 962 tagged females, 173 were seen renesting. The average internesting interval found was longer (22.35 ± 7.01 days) than previously described, which might relate to lower water temperatures during the internesting period. Olive ridleys at Sergipe showed high nesting site fidelity, with consecutive nesting events occurring in close proximity, non-randomly and dependently of previous events. Most of the consecutive nests were separated by 4.06–5.59 km. Development of arribada nesting behavior was not confirmed. |
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