Home range and habitat use by Kemp's Ridley turtles in West-Central Florida
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Author
Schmid, J.R.Bolten, Alan B.
Bjorndal, Karen A.
Lindberg, William J.
Percival, H. Franklin
Zwick, Paul D.
Date
2003
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) is an endangered species whose recovery depends in part onthe identification and protection of required habitats. We used radio and sonic telemetry on subadult Kemp's ridleyturtles to investigate home-range size and habitat use in the coastal waters of west-central Florida from 1994 to1996. We tracked 9 turtles during May-August up to 70 days after release and fou.ld they occupied 5-30 km2 foragingranges. Compositional analyses indicated that turtles used rock outcroppings in their foraging ranges at asignificantly higher proportion than expected. based on availability within the study area. Additionally. turtles usedlive bottom (e.g .• sessile invertebrates) and green macroalgae habitats significantly more than seagrass habitat. Similarstudies are needed through'mt the Kemp's ridley turtles' range to investigate regional and stage-specific differencesin habitat use. which can then be used to conserve important foraging areas.Journal
Journal of Wildlife ManagementVolume
67Issue/Article Nr
1Page Range
196-206Resource/Dataset Location
http://joomla.wildlife.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43