A Non-lethal Method for Retrieving Stomach Contents from Sea Turtles
Forbes G and Limpus C. 1993. A Non-lethal Method for Retrieving Stomach Contents from Sea Turtles. Wildlife Research. 20:339 - 343
Various techniques of stomach flushing have been employed in freshwater turtles (Legler 1977; Parmenter 1980) and in sea turtles (Balazs 1980; Mendonca· 1983) and in other vertebrate groups, as reviewed by Legler (1977). Stomach flushing (gastric lavage) provides a method by which samples of an animal's diet may be retrieved without harm to the animal. A new system of non-lethal stomach flushing of sea turtles has been developed from modifications of the techniques previously cited. This system allows the rapid retrieval of large volumes of food from the oesophagus and anterior stomach regions of sea turtles ranging in size from approximately 25 cm CCL (curved carapace length) to more than 115 cm CCL. The technique described below has been successfully utilised on over 600 sea turtles including green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), flatback (Natator depressus), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles. There is no reason to assume that this technique would not be equally successful on leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coareacea) it they could be lifted and moved as required throughout the procedure.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Forbes, Gregory; Limpus, Colin
- Units
- SFCN
- Keywords
- Diet, experiment, Method, Physical, Physiology, procedure