Assessing Sea Turtle Health
Although sea turtles have survived on this planet for over 150 million years, recent anthropogenic influences have resulted in the classification of all seven species as either threatened or endangered. Over the past century, habitat destruction, incidental and intentional harvesting and temperature change have caused accelerated decline of sea turtle populations worldwide.
Currently, sea turtles are facing an additional challenge to their survival; an increasing incidence of diseases and health related problems in the wild.
As populations continue to dwindle, the more critical it becomes for scientists to ascertain the health status of free-ranging sea turtles and to address the health-related problems that could decimate already fragile populations.
It is imperative that baseline health parameters are determined for free-ranging populations of sea turtles so that any changes in health status can be identified and possibly linked to anthropogenic changes (for example increased agricultural, industrial, and urban pollution).
Sea turtles in Georgia
Sharon Deem, a scientist at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, is studying sea turtles in Georgia in collaboration with Terry Norton of the of the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Due to habitat modification and an increased human presence in the region, the health of sea turtles in Georgia's waters is continually challenged.
Five species of sea turtles:
Although leatherback and green turtles occasionally nest in Georgia, the loggerhead is the only sea turtle that regularly nests in Georgia, making it the best candidate for health monitoring studies.
The data she collects for loggerheads may serve as an indicator of coastal ecosystem health as well as indirectly providing information about health concerns for the four other sea turtles in Georgia waters.
Identification of infectious disease threats or the presence of toxic agents would inform decisions about zoning and the use of terrestrial and aquatic areas and could mobilize local, state and federal support for conservation efforts. For example, efforts are underway to raise funds for a Marine Turtle Rehabilitation and Research Center on Jekyll Island. The information gained from this study will directly benefit the sea turtle rehabilitation cases and long term health monitoring of this group of reptiles.
Study objectives:
More information:
Although sea turtles have survived on this planet for over 150 million years, recent anthropogenic influences have resulted in the classification of all seven species as either threatened or endangered. Over the past century, habitat destruction, incidental and intentional harvesting and temperature change have caused accelerated decline of sea turtle populations worldwide.
Currently, sea turtles are facing an additional challenge to their survival; an increasing incidence of diseases and health related problems in the wild.
As populations continue to dwindle, the more critical it becomes for scientists to ascertain the health status of free-ranging sea turtles and to address the health-related problems that could decimate already fragile populations.
It is imperative that baseline health parameters are determined for free-ranging populations of sea turtles so that any changes in health status can be identified and possibly linked to anthropogenic changes (for example increased agricultural, industrial, and urban pollution).
Sea turtles in Georgia
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Sharon Deem collects a blood sample, as part of a population health evaluation, from a leatherback turtle in Gabon during the few minutes in which the turtle is in an egg-laying “trance.� | |
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Five species of sea turtles:
- loggerhead Caretta caretta
- hawksbill Eretochelys imbricata
- Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii
- green Chelonia mydas, and
- leatherback Dermochelys coriacea
Although leatherback and green turtles occasionally nest in Georgia, the loggerhead is the only sea turtle that regularly nests in Georgia, making it the best candidate for health monitoring studies.
The data she collects for loggerheads may serve as an indicator of coastal ecosystem health as well as indirectly providing information about health concerns for the four other sea turtles in Georgia waters.
Identification of infectious disease threats or the presence of toxic agents would inform decisions about zoning and the use of terrestrial and aquatic areas and could mobilize local, state and federal support for conservation efforts. For example, efforts are underway to raise funds for a Marine Turtle Rehabilitation and Research Center on Jekyll Island. The information gained from this study will directly benefit the sea turtle rehabilitation cases and long term health monitoring of this group of reptiles.
Study objectives:
- establish baseline blood values
- deterine the prevalence of select parasitic and infectious agents, fibropapillomatosis, and toxins
- standardize sampling methodology and laboratory analysis for future sea turtle health assessment programs
- raise awareness that disease is one increasing challenge to the conservation of loggerheads, and other sea turtle species.
More information:
- Deem, S.L., Karesh, W.B., and Weisman, W. 2001. Putting theory into practice: wildlife health in conservation. Con. Biol. 1224-1233.
- Deem, S.L., Starr, L. Norton, T.M. and Karesh, W.B. 2003. Sea Turtle Health Assessment Program in the Caribbean and Atlantic. In: Seminoff, J.A., compiler. Proceedings of the Twenty-second Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-503. Pp. 65-66.
- Herbst, L.H. 1994. Fibropapillomatosis of marine turtles. Annual Review of Fish Diseases. 4: 389-425
- George, R.H. 1997. Health problems and diseases of sea turtles. In: (P.L. Lutz and J.A. Musick, eds.) The Biology of Sea Turtles. CRC Press. New York. Pp. 363-385.
- Lutcavage, M., P. Plotkin, B. Witherington, and P. Lutz. 1997. Human impacts on sea turtle survival. In: (P.L. Lutz and J.A. Musick, eds.) The Biology of Sea Turtles. CRC Press. New York. Pp. 389-411.
