Satellite tracking derived insights into migration and foraging strategies of male loggerhead turtles in the eastern Atlantic 

In recent years, information about the movements and timing of migration by male sea turtles has begun to be unraveled. Here, we present the first satellite tracking of male loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the eastern Atlantic. Satellite linked transmitters were attached to five adult ma...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Varo-Cruz, Nuria, Hawkes, Lucy A., Cejudo, Daniel, López, Pedro, Coyne, Michael S., Godley, B. J, López-Jurado, Luis Felipe
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Repositorio:accedaCRIS portal de investigación de la Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria
OAI Identifier:oai:accedacris.ulpgc.es:10553/17928
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10553/17928
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:24 Ciencias de la vida
2401 Biología animal (zoología)
240116 Herpetología
240123 Vertebrados
240119 Zoología marina
Adult males
Cape Verde
Caretta caretta
Conservation
Migratory plasticity
Satellite tracking
Descripción
Sumario:In recent years, information about the movements and timing of migration by male sea turtles has begun to be unraveled. Here, we present the first satellite tracking of male loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the eastern Atlantic. Satellite linked transmitters were attached to five adult males, captured in the near shore waters off Boavista, Republic of Cape Verde. This archipelago hosts the single most important breeding site of loggerhead turtles in the eastern Atlantic. Animals were tracked for periods ranging between 48 and 537 days, including a probable annual remigration to the vicinity of the nesting ground for one turtle. Males showed a variety of movement patterns both during and after the breeding season. Of three males that transmitted for 85, 329 and 537 days, two (the smallest) migrated east and remained in oceanic waters for the tracking period and another (larger turtle) migrated 810 km northeast, to neritic waters off the coast of Mauritania, Western Africa. Results suggest males may show the same size-linked dichotomy in migratory strategies, as has been shown for females from this population.