Marine Turtle Monitoring & Tagging Program Caño Palma Biological Station Playa Norte Morning Protocol 2013

Transcription

1 Marine Turtle Monitoring & Tagging Program Caño Palma Biological Station Playa Norte Morning Protocol 2013 Nadja Christen & Raúl Garcia

2 Marine Turtle Monitoring & Tagging Program Aims of project: 1. Research and data collection on nesting sea turtles in Caribbean Costa Rica, Playa Norte 2. Monitor health of nesting female sea turtles 3. Educate public about sea turtle ecology and conservation 4. Deter poaching through presence on beach COTERC: Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation

3 Morning Patrol Responsibilities: Check status of triangulated (marked) nests Check flagging tapes of triangulated nests Record any tracks (half moons & nests) missed by night patrol Hatchling watch Nest excavations see Excavation Protocol

4 Morning Patrol Kit: Scientific Permit & Passport MP field book, 2 pencils & pencil sharpener Nest Check Data Sheet Radio GPS & extra batteries 50m Measure Tape Flagging Tape & Permanent Marker First Aid Kit

5 Check Nest Status All triangulated nests are checked daily and status is recorded as: NAT: Natural POA: Poached PRE: Predated WET: Wet - nest is below most recent high tide line FLO: Flooded due to rain or tide; water/puddle is still visible ERO: Eroded HAT: Hatchling tracks from both known and unknown nests UNK: Unknown nest shows signs of poaching (e.g. stick holes/marks, human footprints) or predation but no empty egg chamber

6 Check Nest Status Poached vs. Predated Nests Characteristics of a poached nest Human footprints Stick holes Exposed/empty egg chamber (Dog prints) (Few scattered egg shells possible but not normal) Characteristics of a predated nest Exposed egg chamber with lots of sand spray Egg shells scattered around nest area Animal paw prints

7 Check Flagging Tapes Flagging Tapes are used to mark three points in the vegetation with known distance to a particular nest This technique is called Triangulation (see night protocol) and allows location of marked nests at a later stage Morning Patrol checks all flagging tapes on a daily basis and replaces tapes as required: 1. Illegible flagging tapes: re-write information with permanent marker 2. Damaged flagging tapes: replace entire flagging tape; attach new flagging tape before you remove original one to assure original position of flagging tape is maintained!

8 Record Tracks Fieldbook Data Entry: Example Halfmoon (HLF): Name: NC, RG Date: 01/01/13 H: 05:30 07:00 TYPE SP (Species) MILE G.P.S. Acc. (Accuracy) ZONE Comments HLF CM 1/ Example Nest (NST): Name: NC, RG Date: 01/01/13 H: 05:30 07:00 TYPE SP (Species) MILE G.P.S. Acc. (Accuracy) ZONE Comments NST CM 1/ B

9 Name: NC, RG Date: 01/01/13 H: 05:30 07:00 TYPE SP MILE G.P.S. Acc. ZONE Comments NST CM 1/ B Track Record TYPES: HLF - Half moon (turtle present or absent) NST - Nest (turtle absent; or returning to sea and tags could not be read) DEC - Deceased turtle (dead) LIF - Lifted turtle (only up tracks; e.g. turtle was poached) HAT - Hatchling tracks (both from triangulated and unknown nests)

10 Name: NC, RG Date: 01/01/13 H: 05:30 07:00 TYPE SP MILE G.P.S. Acc. ZONE Comments NST CM 1/ B Turtle Species and Abbreviations Common Name Spanish Latin Abbreviation Leatherback Baula Dermochelys coriacea D.C. Green Turtle Tortuga Verde Chelonia mydas C.M. Hawksbill Carey Eretmochelys imbricata E.I. Loggerhead Cabezona Caretta caretta C.C.

11 Name: NC, RG Date: 01/01/13 H: 05:30 07:00 TYPE SP (Species) MILE G.P.S. Acc. (Accuracy) ZONE Comments HLF CM 1/ Mile Markers are located along the patrol transect at intervals of 1/8 of a mile Patrols are conducted between Mile 0 3 1/8 For each Track Record the nearest Northern Mile Marker is recorded Mile Marker 4/8

12 Name: NC, RG Date: 01/01/13 H: 05:30 07:00 TYPE SP MILE G.P.S. Acc. ZONE Comments NST CM 1/ B Vegetation ~ 100% shade V B O Border > 50% Open ~ 0-50% shade

13 Species Specific Zone Preference V & B B & O C.M. & E.I. O C.C. D.C.

14 Track Identification SYMMETRIC Leatherback cm Green cm ASYMMETRIC Loggerhead cm Hawskbill cm

15 Track Identification Leatherback - symmetric Up Track

16 Track Identification Green Turtle - symmetric Up Track

17 Track Identification Hawksbill - asymmetric Up Track

18 Track Identification Loggerhead - asymmetric Up Track