2012 Inter-Nesting and Post-Nesting Movements of Loggerhead Turtles from Masirah, Oman
A project of MECA and ESO in conjunction with the partners and sponsors detailed below.
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| Name | Species | Life Stage | Release Date | Last Location | Days Transmitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asma | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-23 | 2013-02-15 | 298 |
| Sheikah | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-24 | 2013-01-20 | 271 |
| Meriam | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-24 | 2013-01-19 | 270 |
| Ranyah | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-24 | 2012-09-24 | 153 |
| Mozah | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-25 | 2012-06-27 | 63 |
| Noor | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-24 | 2012-08-09 | 107 |
| Meaad | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-25 | 2012-12-11 | 230 |
| Esraa | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-25 | 2012-09-29 | 157 |
| Bassma | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-25 | 2013-04-01 | 341 |
| MASF | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-26 | 2012-12-27 | 245 |
| Dima | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-26 | 2013-01-20 | 269 |
| Samira | Loggerhead | Adult | 2012-04-26 | 2012-06-22 | 57 |
Click on an animal's name for maps and more information.
Introduction
Masirah Island is the nesting site of one of the two largest loggerhead nesting populations in the world. Initial studies of this population in the late 1970's by Dr. Perran Ross and Ministry of Environment Rangers, first identified the size and global significance of this population. The primary purpose of this 3-5 year satellite tagging project is to determine clutch frequency which will help better assess population size and fecundity, and to determine inter- and post-nesting movements which will help identify potential overlap with Indian Ocean fisheries and vulnerabilites to other threats. This project will also help identify range countries with whom collaboration will be necessary to fully protect this nesting population along migration routes and at their foraging grounds.
Each turtle in the 2012 tagging programme was fitted with with a 'Wildlife Computers' MK10 transmitter and a conventional flipper tag. Tissue samples were also collected and archived for future DNA analysis. For those turtles that successfully nested, a location system was used to determine the success of the nest. The tagging team was on site at the very beginning of the nesting season to find the earliest nesters emerging from the sea for this year. The tag unit uses a GPS receiver and is specifically configured to give precise information of the location of the turtle at sea and when it comes ashore to nest. This essential piece of information will help to reveal the nesting frequency of the turtle through the season. Over the long term the information from this work will be integrated with counting of nests from beach surveys to help estimate the total number of female loggerheads nesting at Masirah each year.
The project is one component of a larger and more complex conservation strategy, which includes training and capacity-building, strategic conservation planning, standardization of survey methodology to better assess population trends, data management and analysis, and addressing threats such as artficial lighting, coastal development, beach driving, and fisheries bycatch.
