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Riverhead presentation.pptx

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Thomas Pratt

The Riverhead Foundation is a marine conservation organization that performs necropsies on sea turtles and marine mammals to further their understanding of threats to these species and educate the public. The document describes the objectives and findings of an internship where the author observed necropsies on 36 sea turtles and recorded data on cause of death and biological characteristics. Major threats identified were boat strikes and plastic ingestion. The necropsy data collected will help the Foundation in their conservation efforts of at-risk sea turtle species in the New York area.

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The Riverhead Foundation: Using necropsies to further awareness of marine conservation issues Thomas Pratt
● Mission: “to preserve and protect our marine environment through rescue and rehabilitation, research and education.” ● New York State’s only marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and research program. ● Works with cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises), pinnipeds (seals) and sea turtles.
Objectives My objectives in this internship with the Riverhead Foundation were to: 1) Observe direct impacts on sea turtles and know how to prevent it. 2) Observe sex ratios, cause of death, and human impact through necropsies. 3) Gain more insight and knowledge about sea turtle anatomy.
Sea turtles 7 species: 1. Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) 2. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) 3. Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) 4. Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) 5. Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) 6. Flatback sea turtle (Natador depressus) 7. Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata)
Sea turtles 7 species: 1. Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) 2. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) 3. Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) 4. Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) 5. Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) 6. Flatback sea turtle (Natador depressus) 7. Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata)
Sea turtle diet ● jellyfish/salps ● Seagrasses and algae ● crustaceans ● molluscs ● gastropods ● sponges
Sea turtle habitats ● pelagic sargassum ● coral reefs ● mangroves ● seagrass beds
When are they found in our area? ● Leatherback sea turtles are found in New York waters all year round; other species are mostly found during the warmer months in the summer for foraging. ● Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are found cold-stunned during the winter from October to March. (Wallace et al. 2013)
Threats to sea turtles Human impacts on marine ecosystems have threatened many species that are vulnerable to extinction (Davenport 1997, Halpern et al. 2008, Janzen 1994). ● bycatch ● fisheries (longlines, gillnets, boat strikes) ● marine pollution and debris ● habitat degradation ● global climate change wwf.panda.org
Importance of NGOs NGOs help address conservation issues such as fisheries management, scientific modeling, human impacts, and scientific information and education. Examples: Greenpeace, Ocean Conservancy, the Marine Conservation Society, and the Worldwide Fund for Nature. (Groom et al. 2006, Sutherland et al. 2004)
Method of a necropsy (Wyneken and Witherington 2001)
Findings Species Boat/prop strike Nematodes/GI tract inflammation Broken bones/missing appendages Hemorrhages No significant findings Plastic Dermochelys coriacea 1 0 1 1 1 1 Caretta caretta 3 0 1 0 3 0 Chelonia mydas 0 2 0 1 4 0 Lepidochelys kempii 1 2 0 0 17 0
Riverhead presentation.pptx
Riverhead presentation.pptx
Boat/propeller strike
Species Male Female Unknown Total number Dermochelys coriacea 2 1 0 3 Caretta caretta 1 4 1 6 Chelonia mydas 1 6 0 7 Lepidochelys kempii 4 16 0 20
Riverhead presentation.pptx
There were 55.6% kemps ridley sea turtles identified represented in the yellow (20), 19.4% green sea turtles represented in the green (7), 16.7% loggerhead sea turtles represented in red (6), and 8.3% leatherback sea turtles represented in blue (3). Figure 3- Percentage of species
http://www.riverheadfoundation.org/pubfiles/annualreports/2013Report.pdf
http://www.riverheadfoundation.org/pubfiles/annualreports/2013Report.pdf
Implementations Endangered Species Act (ESA): 6 populations of sea turtles are threatened; 10 endangered. All listed under CITES appendix I In the NYS area: Loggerhead- threatened Leatherback- endangered Green- endangered Kemp’s ridley- endangered
What can be done? ● TEDs: Turtle Excluder Devices ● Circle hooks ● Reduce beach lighting ● Reduce environmental contamination www.nmfs.noaa.gov
Current sea turtle research 1. Bycatch identification and management 2. Sea turtle diet/GI tract analysis 3. Nesting habitat 4. Marine pollution and debris www.nmfs.noaa.gov
References Davenport, J. (1997). Temperature and the life-history strategies of sea turtles. Journal of thermal biology, 22(6), pp. 479-488. Groom, M. J., Meffe, G. K., & Carroll, C. R. (2006). Principles of conservation biology (pp. 174-251). Sunderland: Sinauer Associates. Halpern, B. S., Walbridge, S., Selkoe, K. A., Kappel, C. V., Micheli, F., D'Agrosa, C., ... & Watson, R. (2008). A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science, 319(5865), pp. 948-952. Janzen, F. J. (1994). Climate change and temperature-dependent sex determination in reptiles. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,91(16), pp. 7487-7490. Lewison, R. L., Freeman, S. A., & Crowder, L. B. (2004). Quantifying the effects of fisheries on threatened species: the impact of pelagic longlines on loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles. Ecology letters, 7(3), pp. 221-231.
References DiGiovanni Jr., R., Durham, K., DePerte, A., Ferina, D. The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation Annual Report. (2013). Web. 21 August 2014. <http://www.riverheadfoundation. org/pubfiles/annualreports/2013Report.pdf> Sutherland, W. J., Pullin, A. S., Dolman, P. M., & Knight, T. M. (2004). The need for evidence-based conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 19(6), pp. 305-308. Wallace, B.P., Tiwari, M. & Girondot, M. 2013. Dermochelys coriacea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 06 August 2014. Wolke, R. E., & George, A. (1981). Sea turtle necropsy manual. US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Panama City Laboratory, pp 1-20. Wyneken, J., & Witherington, D. (2001). The anatomy of sea turtles (p. 172). Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce. pp. 1-52.
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Riverhead presentation.pptx

  • 1. The Riverhead Foundation: Using necropsies to further awareness of marine conservation issues Thomas Pratt
  • 2. ● Mission: “to preserve and protect our marine environment through rescue and rehabilitation, research and education.” ● New York State’s only marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and research program. ● Works with cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises), pinnipeds (seals) and sea turtles.
  • 3. Objectives My objectives in this internship with the Riverhead Foundation were to: 1) Observe direct impacts on sea turtles and know how to prevent it. 2) Observe sex ratios, cause of death, and human impact through necropsies. 3) Gain more insight and knowledge about sea turtle anatomy.
  • 4. Sea turtles 7 species: 1. Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) 2. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) 3. Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) 4. Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) 5. Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) 6. Flatback sea turtle (Natador depressus) 7. Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata)
  • 5. Sea turtles 7 species: 1. Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) 2. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) 3. Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) 4. Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) 5. Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) 6. Flatback sea turtle (Natador depressus) 7. Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata)
  • 6. Sea turtle diet ● jellyfish/salps ● Seagrasses and algae ● crustaceans ● molluscs ● gastropods ● sponges
  • 7. Sea turtle habitats ● pelagic sargassum ● coral reefs ● mangroves ● seagrass beds
  • 8. When are they found in our area? ● Leatherback sea turtles are found in New York waters all year round; other species are mostly found during the warmer months in the summer for foraging. ● Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are found cold-stunned during the winter from October to March. (Wallace et al. 2013)
  • 9. Threats to sea turtles Human impacts on marine ecosystems have threatened many species that are vulnerable to extinction (Davenport 1997, Halpern et al. 2008, Janzen 1994). ● bycatch ● fisheries (longlines, gillnets, boat strikes) ● marine pollution and debris ● habitat degradation ● global climate change wwf.panda.org
  • 10. Importance of NGOs NGOs help address conservation issues such as fisheries management, scientific modeling, human impacts, and scientific information and education. Examples: Greenpeace, Ocean Conservancy, the Marine Conservation Society, and the Worldwide Fund for Nature. (Groom et al. 2006, Sutherland et al. 2004)
  • 11. Method of a necropsy (Wyneken and Witherington 2001)
  • 12. Findings Species Boat/prop strike Nematodes/GI tract inflammation Broken bones/missing appendages Hemorrhages No significant findings Plastic Dermochelys coriacea 1 0 1 1 1 1 Caretta caretta 3 0 1 0 3 0 Chelonia mydas 0 2 0 1 4 0 Lepidochelys kempii 1 2 0 0 17 0
  • 16. Species Male Female Unknown Total number Dermochelys coriacea 2 1 0 3 Caretta caretta 1 4 1 6 Chelonia mydas 1 6 0 7 Lepidochelys kempii 4 16 0 20
  • 18. There were 55.6% kemps ridley sea turtles identified represented in the yellow (20), 19.4% green sea turtles represented in the green (7), 16.7% loggerhead sea turtles represented in red (6), and 8.3% leatherback sea turtles represented in blue (3). Figure 3- Percentage of species
  • 21. Implementations Endangered Species Act (ESA): 6 populations of sea turtles are threatened; 10 endangered. All listed under CITES appendix I In the NYS area: Loggerhead- threatened Leatherback- endangered Green- endangered Kemp’s ridley- endangered
  • 22. What can be done? ● TEDs: Turtle Excluder Devices ● Circle hooks ● Reduce beach lighting ● Reduce environmental contamination www.nmfs.noaa.gov
  • 23. Current sea turtle research 1. Bycatch identification and management 2. Sea turtle diet/GI tract analysis 3. Nesting habitat 4. Marine pollution and debris www.nmfs.noaa.gov
  • 24. References Davenport, J. (1997). Temperature and the life-history strategies of sea turtles. Journal of thermal biology, 22(6), pp. 479-488. Groom, M. J., Meffe, G. K., & Carroll, C. R. (2006). Principles of conservation biology (pp. 174-251). Sunderland: Sinauer Associates. Halpern, B. S., Walbridge, S., Selkoe, K. A., Kappel, C. V., Micheli, F., D'Agrosa, C., ... & Watson, R. (2008). A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science, 319(5865), pp. 948-952. Janzen, F. J. (1994). Climate change and temperature-dependent sex determination in reptiles. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,91(16), pp. 7487-7490. Lewison, R. L., Freeman, S. A., & Crowder, L. B. (2004). Quantifying the effects of fisheries on threatened species: the impact of pelagic longlines on loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles. Ecology letters, 7(3), pp. 221-231.
  • 25. References DiGiovanni Jr., R., Durham, K., DePerte, A., Ferina, D. The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation Annual Report. (2013). Web. 21 August 2014. <http://www.riverheadfoundation. org/pubfiles/annualreports/2013Report.pdf> Sutherland, W. J., Pullin, A. S., Dolman, P. M., & Knight, T. M. (2004). The need for evidence-based conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 19(6), pp. 305-308. Wallace, B.P., Tiwari, M. & Girondot, M. 2013. Dermochelys coriacea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 06 August 2014. Wolke, R. E., & George, A. (1981). Sea turtle necropsy manual. US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Panama City Laboratory, pp 1-20. Wyneken, J., & Witherington, D. (2001). The anatomy of sea turtles (p. 172). Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce. pp. 1-52.