Satellite tracking reveals use of Biscayne National Park by sea turtles tagged in multiple locations

Regional Studies in Marine Science
By: , and 

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Abstract

Although historical observations date back to the 1800’s, there is little information on sea turtle occupancy within Biscayne National Park (BNP). The park is located along the Florida reef tract and is dominated by the Gulfstream, which acts as a corridor for many marine animals. Here we used satellite telemetry to determine areas of use in BNP for two species of imperiled sea turtles, loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles. We included data for turtles tagged between 2009–2021 at sites both within park waters and in five locations outside the park boundary; individuals were captured both in the water and on land. We tagged 60 individuals (female, n = 48; male, n = 3; immature, n = 9); loggerheads (n = 33) ranged in size from 66.2 to 109.9 cm CCL (curved carapace length) and green turtles (n = 27) ranged in size from 39.1 to 111.9 cm CCL. We used behavioral switching state-space modeling (SSM) to obtain daily predicted positions for each turtle, classified turtle behavior within the park as either foraging, migration, or both foraging and migration, and summarized high-use areas for each species across all months of the year. Turtles used park waters year-round, with concentrated use of deeper waters during seasonal migrations. Across all 60 turtles, 21 spent their tracking time foraging within BNP boundaries and 30 used the park as part of their migratory pathway; five turtles used the park for both foraging and migration, and the remaining four had SSM points very close to the park. Loggerhead migration occurred from February through November, whereas green turtle migration was concentrated in August. Both turtle species exhibited high overlap (i.e., usage) with seagrass habitat. These findings are relevant as managers consider strategies to minimize anthropogenic impacts to resident and migratory sea turtles using park waters.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Satellite tracking reveals use of Biscayne National Park by sea turtles tagged in multiple locations
Series title Regional Studies in Marine Science
DOI 10.1016/j.rsma.2023.103098
Volume 65
Year Published 2023
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Description 103098, 9 p. Data Release
Country United States
State Florida
Other Geospatial Biscayne National Park
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