Is a small sea turtles rookery doomed to local extinction? Decreasing nesting trends at the Paria Gulf,Venezuela

Small rookeries are rarely evaluated for marine turtles worldwide. Two species of sea turtles (Hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata; Leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea) nest on five main beaches of the northeast coast of the Paria Gulf in Venezuela. Population trends using generalized linear models at this rookery were assessed and compared with other small rookeries. Both species showed significant negative nesting trends: Nesting by critically endangered hawksbills decreased over nine seasons 2009–2017 (64–142 nests per year, General Linear Model Slope Value = ?0.061; data pooled for five beaches); similarly, vulnerable leatherback nests decreased across the same period in the main beach Los Garzos (0–69 nests/year; GLMSV = ?0.34). Besides human and natural predation of the nests, no significant environmental impacts affect the beaches except probably on Obispo Isthmus where a gas pipeline installation interrupted the nesting activity in 2014. Observed changes to the nesting trends in these small rookeries have a collective impact on broader conservation concerns for sea turtles in the region.     

Monitoring persistent organic pollutants in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) confirms maternal transfer

To assess threats to endangered species, it is critical to establish baselines for contaminant concentrations that may have detrimental consequences to individuals or populations. We measured contaminants in blubber and fat from dead leatherback turtles and established baselines in blood and eggs in nesting turtles. In fat, blubber, blood and eggs, the predominant PCBs were 153 + 132, 187 + 182, 138 + 163, 118, and 180 + 193. Total PCBs, 4,4′-DDE, total PBDEs and total chlordanes were significantly and positively correlated between blood and eggs, suggesting maternal transfer. Significant positive relationships also existed between fat and blubber in stranded leatherbacks. Less lipophilic PCBs appeared to more readily transfer from females to their eggs. PBDE profiles in the four tissues were similar to other wildlife populations but different from some turtle studies. Concentrations were lower than those shown to have acute toxic effects in other aquatic reptiles, but may have sub-lethal effects on hatchling body condition and health.     

Leatherback turtles: The menace of plastic

The leatherback, Dermochelyscoriacea, is a large sea turtle that feeds primarily on jellyfish. Floating plastic garbage could be mistaken for such prey. Autopsy records of 408 leatherback turtles, spanning 123 years (1885-2007), were studied for the presence or absence of plastic in the GI tract. Plastic was reported in 34% of these cases. If only cases from our first report (1968) of plastic were considered, the figure was 37%. Blockage of the gut by plastic was mentioned in some accounts. These findings are discussed in the context of removal of top predators from poorly understood food chains.