Post-nesting movements and feeding grounds of a resident East Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) population from Costa Rica.

GABRIELA S. BLANCO; STEPHEN J. MORREALE; HELEN BAILEY; JEFFREY A. SEMINOFF; FRANK V. PALADINO; JAMES R. SPOTILA

Endangered Species Research

INTER-RESEARCH

Lugar: Oldendorf/Luhe; Año: 2012 vol. 18 p. 233 - 245

1613-4796

Satellite telemetry has helped reveal migratory movements of sea turtles. We attached satellite transmitters (MK10 Pat Tags) to 10 post-nesting East Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from Nombre de Jesús, Costa Rica (in 2006, 2007 and 2009) to track their movements, identify their foraging grounds, and to elucidate their foraging behavior. Location data were analyzed by applying a switching state-space model (SSSM) to obtain daily position estimates and to differentiate between 2 behavioral modes (migrating and foraging). All post-nesting movements were along coastal routes ranging up to 1,086 km from the nesting beach. Of the 10 turtles, 6 remained local residents of Costa Rica foraging in the Gulf of Papagayo (N = 2) and the Gulf of Santa Elena (N = 4). One individual moved southwards to the Gulf of Panama and 3 other turtles migrated northwards to waters off the Gulf of Fonseca in northern Nicaragua, with one continuing its foraging movements northwards to coastal Guatemala. Home ranges during foraging varied widely among individuals, and the calculated size of feeding grounds ranged from 315 km2 to 18,335 km2, which was the largest reported for this species. The fact that members of this nesting population inhabit coastal waters makes them vulnerable to human activities along Central America. Our findings highlighted the importance of Costa Rica and the coastal waters of Central America for the survival of the endangered Costa Rican green turtles.