Urgent action is needed during the migration and internesting periods to conserve East Pacific green turtles nesting in Northwestern Costa Rica

GABRIELA S. BLANCO; STEPHEN J. MORREALE; FRANK V. PALADINO; JAMES R. SPOTILA

Alberta

Congreso; International Congress for Conservation Biology; 2010

Society for Conservation Biology

The Pacific coast of Costa Rica hosts important nesting sites for endangered eastern Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas). We studied migration, inter-nesting movements and behavior of turtles that nest on Nombre de Jesús and Zapotillal beaches using satellite telemetry. Turtles remained in the vicinity of the nesting beaches, using depths between 5 and 10 m (89%) during internesting. Post nesting movements showed different migration routes and foraging areas: 3 turtles stayed in nearby Papagayo Gulf (Costa Rica), 3 moved to Santa Elena Gulf (Nicaragua) and 3 migrated 400 km north to Fonseca Gulf (El Salvador). We also identified threats to the population that require urgent attention for its protection. The majority of the north pacific Costa Rican nesting beaches have no enforced protection, which facilitates illegal egg recollection and uncontrolled tourism. Additionally, we observed incidental capture of turtles by artisanal fisheries that operate in waters surrounding the nesting beaches. Our findings suggest that green turtles inhabit waters off the coasts of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica during their entire reproductive life; which also makes them vulnerable to fishing activities in these areas. Urgent action is needed both on land and at sea.