Sex-specific migration patterns of hawksbill turtles breeding at Mona Island, Puerto Rico

Endangered Species Research

Robert P. Van Dam¹  Carlos E. Diez George H. Balazs Luis A. Colón Colón W. Owen McMillan Barbara Schroeder¹ 

关键词: Hawksbill turtle;    Eretmochelys imbricata;    Migration;    Mona Island;    Puerto Rico;   

DOI  :  10.3354/esr00044

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACT: Detailed post-breeding movement data is presented for hawksbill turtles tracked by satellite telemetry from Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Seven nesting females and 8 breeding males were tracked. Females traveled for 3 to 53 d to reach their foraging grounds, swimming distances of 84 to 2051 km (mean 867 km, n = 7) at average speeds of 23.5 to 38.7 km d^–1 (n = 7). Males traveled for <1 to 22 d, covering distances of <2 to 476 km (mean 101 km, n = 8) at average speeds of 13.0 to 24.7 km d^–1 (n = 5). One of the tracked males remained at the Mona Island breeding grounds for 11 mo before being recaptured there. The migration of 2 other male hawksbill turtles returning to Mona Island the following year from their foraging grounds was also documented. Descriptions of the foraging habitats used by these adult turtles are provided. The significant differences observed in migratory range between males and females are interpreted in an evolutionary context of food abundance predictability; an alternative hypothesis of geographic variation in mortality rates is also considered.

【 授权许可】

Unknown