Suchergebnisse

We report another nesting event by a loggerhead turtle in Ġnejna (Malta), in June 2018, with an extraordinary hatching rate of 99.1%. This follows the previously reported nesting in 2012 in the same bay, and the 2016 event in a nearby beach at Golden Bay, both beaches located in the NW of Malta. Before the 2012 record, scientifically recorded turtle nesting in Malta had only been reported dating back some 100 years, although in one paper it is alleged that turtles may have been nesting in Malta up until some 50-60 years ago. Noting that loggerheads have an average remigration interval of 2 years, it is possible that the same turtle that nested in 2012 came back to Ġnejna to nest again in 2018. It is hoped that DNA analysis, which ideally follows at a later stage, will determine whether it was the same turtle. Campaigns are currently ongoing to solicit greater reporting of nesting. Relocation of eggs is discussed. In this paper we also describe conservation measures that were set-up in this bay and in Golden Bay, including measures during hatching. Emergency conservation orders were issued in all the three nesting events, to protect the beaches in question from any major and potentially harmful activities. The sites were also surrounded and physically protected with a 24 hour monitoring scheme being set-up with the help of volunteers from Nature Trust Malta and government officials.

The available information regarding the 2 sea turtle species breeding in the Mediterranean (loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta and green turtle Chelonia mydas) is reviewed, including biometrics and morphology, identification of breeding and foraging areas, ecology and behaviour, abundance and trends, population structure and dynamics, anthropogenic threats and conservation measures. Although a large body of knowledge has been generated, research efforts have been inconsistently allocated across geographic areas, species and topics. Significant gaps still exist, ranging from the most fundamental aspects, such as the distribution of major nesting sites and the total number of clutches laid annually in the region, to more specific topics like age at maturity, survival rates and behavioural ecology, especially for certain areas (e.g. south-eastern Mediterranean). These gaps are particularly marked for the green turtle. The recent positive trends of nest counts at some nesting sites may be the result of the cessation of past exploitation and decades of conservation measures on land, both in the form of national regulations and of continued active protection of clutches. Therefore, the current status should be considered as dependent on such ongoing conservation efforts. Mitigation of incidental catch in fisheries, the main anthropogenic threat at sea, is still in its infancy. From the analysis of the present status a comprehensive list of re search and conservation priorities is proposed. ; C.C. is supported by the project CTM2013-48163 of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity. The Cyprus Wildlife Society (CWS) acknowledges the financial support of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research of the Government to the CWS for the implementation of the Turtle Conservation Project in the period 2010−2016 and for all its assistance to the Society in previous years. J.T. is supported by project Prometeo II (2015-018) of the Generalitat Valenciana and projects MEDSEALITTER-INTERREG and INDICIT of the European Union. ; Peer Reviewed