Status of nesting loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta at Bald Head Island (North Carolina, USA) after 24 years of intensive monitoring and conservation

A 24-year set of data from monitoring of a nesting beach at Bald Head Island, North Carolina, USA, was analysed in parallel with limited data from nearby rookeries to investigate trends in loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta nesting numbers. There was no statistical evidence of an increasing or decrea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Oryx 2005-01, Vol.39 (1), p.65-72
Main Authors: Hawkes, Lucy A., Broderick, Annette C., Godfrey, Matthew H., Godley, Brendan J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bald Head Island
Beaches
Caretta caretta
Eggs
loggerhead turtle
Marine
monitoring
nesting
Reptiles & amphibians
Seasons
Success
Trends
USA
Working groups
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Summary:A 24-year set of data from monitoring of a nesting beach at Bald Head Island, North Carolina, USA, was analysed in parallel with limited data from nearby rookeries to investigate trends in loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta nesting numbers. There was no statistical evidence of an increasing or decreasing trend in numbers of clutches laid per year, although a significant decrease in the number of turtles nesting and number of clutches laid per year was found from 1991. Remigrating turtles were larger and had larger annual clutch frequencies than neophyte turtles. Annual levels of nesting at beaches within the Cape Fear area were significantly correlated. The stable trend in number of clutches laid across more than two decades is discussed in relation to other factors affecting marine turtles in North American waters.
ISSN:0030-6053
1365-3008
DOI:10.1017/S0030605305000116