Anidación de la tortuga marina Lepidochelys olivacea (Testudinata: Cheloniidae) en Campamento Tortuguero Cedeño, Honduras (2011-2021) / Nesting of olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea (Testudinata: Cheloniidae) in Campamento Tortuguero Cedeño, Honduras (2011-2021)

Introducción: El Campamento Tortuguero de Cedeño ha sido el sitio menos investigado del Golfo de Fonseca, donde se protege a la tortuga golfina en Honduras desde 1975. Objetivo: Evaluar la anidación de la tortuga Golfina (Lepidochelys olivacea) durante la temporada de veda entre el 2011 y 2021 en Campamento Tortuguero Cedeño, Choluteca, Honduras. Métodos: Entre 2011 a 2021, se llevó a cabo el monitoreo diario de las actividades de anidación durante la veda del 1 al 25 de septiembre. Los patrullajes se realizaron entre las 6:00-18:00 h, y las 18:00-5:00 h. Se registró el número total de tortugas que anidaban y se recogieron sus huevos, que se transportaron al criadero, donde se tabularon los resultados de las puestas y las crías. Resultados: Se registró un total 1 065 tortugas de L. olivacea, 95 051 huevos recolectados, 1 065 nidos marcados en tres playas que fueron reubicados en viveros artificiales y una eclosión exitosa de 62 747 neonatos. La playa Las Doradas fue el sitio con el mayor número de tortugas anidadoras, seguido de Los Delgaditos y por último Cedeño. El promedio de la frecuencia de anidación fue de 96 nidos. Del 2011 al 2021 el esfuerzo de recolección de los nidos aumentó en un 91.6 %, pasando de 84 a 161 nidos. El número de personas patrullando se asoció con la cantidad de nidos detectados en las playas. Conclusión: Los esfuerzos de monitoreo y conservación para la especie han indicado que ha habido un incremento en la anidación de L. olivacea en las tres playas, con un mayor incremento en Playa Las Doradas. Este escenario comprueba la funcionalidad de la veda en esta zona.

Introduction: The Cedeño Turtle Camp has been the least researched site in the Fonseca Gulf, where Olive Ridley Turtles in Honduras have been protected since 1975. Objective: To evaluate the nesting of Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) during the closed season from 2011 to 2021 in Campamento Tortuguero Cedeño, Choluteca, Honduras. Methods: From 2011 to 2021, daily monitoring of nesting activities was conducted during the closed season from the 1st to 25th of September. Patrols were conducted between 6:00-18:00 h, and 18:00-5:00 h. The total number of nesting turtles was recorded, and their eggs were collected and transported to the hatchery, where clutch and hatchling performance were tabulated. Results: A total of 1 065 L. olivacea turtles were recorded, 95 051 eggs collected, 1 065 nests marked on three beaches that were relocated in artificial hatcheries and a successful hatching of 62 747 hatchlings. Las Doradas beach was the site with the highest number of nesting turtles, followed by Los Delgaditos and lastly Cedeño. The average nesting frequency was 96 nests. From 2011 to 2021 the nest collection effort increased by 91.6 %, from 84 to 161 nests. The number of people patrolling was associated with the number of nests detected on the beaches. Conclusion: Monitoring and conservation efforts for L. olivacea in the Campamento Tortuguero Cedeño show a positive trend in nesting with a greater increase in Playa Las Doradas. This scenario proves the functionality of the closed season in this area.

Predation Rate on Olive Riley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) Nests with Solitary Nesting Activity from 2008 to 2021 at Corozalito, Costa Rica.

In Corozalito beach, Costa Rica, Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) nest both solitarily and in arribadas. The predation of solitary nests was monitored from 2008 to 2021, recording date, time, sector of the beach, zone, status of nest (predated or partially predated) and predator when possible. We recorded 4450 predated nests in total (N = 30,148 nesting events); predation rates showed a fluctuating trend, with recent percentages reaching up to 30%, with four distinctive dips in 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2017. The spatial distribution of predated nests along the beach showed significant differences among the sectors regardless of the seasons (Friedman test, chi-squared = 14.778, df = 2, p-value = 0.000), with most predated nests (47.62%) occurring in the northern sectors of the beach. Predators were identified by their tracks and/or direct observations (N = 896, 24.08%). The most conspicuous predators identified were raccoons (55.69%) and black vultures (22.77%). As seen in Corozalito, predation rates have increased in recent years despite established conservation efforts. A comprehensive assessment of all threats towards the overall hatching success for clutches is needed, considering predation during mass nesting events, poaching and beach erosion, among other factors, to fully understand the nesting dynamics occurring in this beach.

Dynamics of human take and animal predation on sea turtle nests in Northwest Costa Rica.

Many conservation projects relocate sea turtle eggs to hatcheries to protect the sea turtle nests from the anthropogenic and natural threats they face in the early stages of development. The Rescue Center for Endangered Marine Species (CREMA) manages four sea turtle conservation projects on the nesting beaches of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, where the predominant nesting activity is from olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea). Two of these nesting projects are based in Costa de Oro and San Miguel, which are adjacent beaches divided by an estuary. In this study, we compared the dynamics and rates of human and animal predation of nests prior to being relocated to the hatchery on both nesting beaches from 2012 to 2018. We hypothesized that human take and animal predation were compensatory threats, meaning that lower human take may result in higher animal predation, and vice versa, resulting in a similar number of nests lost to predation overall. We discuss the community-based conservation programs on both beaches, one of which has been monitored since 1998 (San Miguel) and the other of which has been monitored since 2012 (Costa de Oro). We found that Costa de Oro exhibited high rates of human take with up to 51% of nests being extracted per season, which has decreased since the conservation project was established. Human take was significantly higher than animal predation on both beaches and human take was significantly higher in Costa de Oro. While San Miguel exhibited higher animal predation, the difference was not statistically significant. Higher depredation by animals corresponded to higher overall nest abundance on both beaches. We were unable to find evidence that human take or animal predation increased in the absence of the other threat, suggesting a lack of compensatory effects of predation. Our findings support further analysis of animal predation and a continuation of patrol-based conservation efforts as well as community outreach to attempt to merge cultural values with sea turtle conservation.

Conservación y actividad reproductiva de tortuga lora ( Lepidochelys olivacea ) en la playa de anidación solitaria Punta Banco, Pacifico Sur de Costa Rica. Recomendaciones de manejo a través de dieciséis años de monitoreo / Conservation and reproductive activity of Olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Punta Banco, a solitary nesting beach in South Pacific Costa Rica: Management recommendations after sixteen years of monitoring

Resumen Se realizó un monitoreo de la actividad de anidación de tortugas marinas en Punta Banco, Pacífico Sur de Costa Rica, de forma ininterrumpida por diez y seis años, acompañado por actividades de conservación como la relocalización de los nidos en viveros. Se realizaron análisis de éxito de eclosión para nidos "in situ" y en vivero. Evaluamos por este medio la biología reproductiva de la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea), por mucho la tortuga más común que anida en Punta Banco (98% de las tortugas observadas). Entre 1996 y 2011, se llevó a cabo el monitoreo diario de las actividades de anidación de julio a diciembre. Marcamos un total de 1 239 tortugas L. olivacea y registramos 4 130 eventos de anidación. El total de anidaciones para L. olivacea varió de 239 en el año 1996 a 402 en 1999, mientras que el número de hembras avistadas varió de 18 en 1996 a 146 en 1999. Las hembras presentaron un largo curvo del caparazón promedio de 66.8cm y ancho curvo de caparazón promedio de 70.7cm. La media para el tamaño de las nidadas fue de 96.7 huevos, con una frecuencia de puesta observada de 1.07 nidos/hembra y un intervalo de puesta observado de 19.95 días. El éxito de eclosión de nidos "in situ" fue de 61.38%, mientras que el éxito de nidos relocalizados en viveros fue de 77.9%. La población de L. olivacea en Punta Banca muestra una tendencia positiva.

Abstract Sea turtle nesting activity was monitored in Punta Banco, South Pacific Costa Rica uninterruptedly for sixteen years, accompanied by conservation activities such as nest relocation in hatcheries. Hatching success evaluations were held for "in situ" and relocated nests. We hereby evaluate the reproductive biology of the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), by far the most common turtle sea turtle nesting in Punta Banco (98% of observed turtles). Daily monitoring of nesting activities was held every year from July to December, from 1996 to 2011. We tagged a total of 1 239 turtles and recorded 4 130 nesting events. The number of recorded nesting events per nesting season ranged from 239 in 1996 to 402 in 1999, whereas the number of observed females ranged from 18 in 1996 to 146 in 1999. Nesting females had an average curved carapace length of 66.8cm and an average curve carapace width of 70.7cm. The average clutch size was 96.7, with an observed frequency of 1.07 nests/female and an nesting interval of 19.95 days. Hatching success of "in situ" nests was 61.38%, whereas hatching success for nests relocated into hatcheries was 77.9%. The L. olivacea population in Punta Banco beach displays a a positive trend. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (Suppl. 1): 383-394. Epub 2015 April 01.