Observations of the Movement of Hatchling Dea Turtles
Stoneburner DL, Richardson JI, Williamson GK. 1982. Observations of the Movement of Hatchling Dea Turtles. Copeia. 1982(4):963-965
The hypothesis that hatchling loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) immediately swim out to the ocean depths has a long hiistory, as indicated by a quotation in a 1908 note to Science. Since then, the seaward movement hypothesis has achieved general acceptance based on the concept that all sea turtle hatchlings, which emerge from nests laid on coastal and oceanic rookery beaches, behave the same saw; viz., they immediately swim out to sea in search of sargassum rafts. The hypothesis gained further support, during the last 20 years, from observations of hatchling sea turtles in sargassum at sea and on beaches during onshore storms and in the guts of pelagic fishes. The inability of hatchling sea turtles to control their buoyancy has also been interpreted as supported evidence.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Stoneburner, Daniel; Richardson, James; Williamson, G
- Units
- CUIS
- Keywords
- Animal Behavior, Juveniles, Migration, Mortality, Sea Turtles (Cheloniidae & Dermochelyidae)