Rastreo satelital de las hembras de tortuga blanca Chelonia mydas y evaluación de sus ámbitos hogareños en la costa norte de la península de Yucatán, México

Abstract

From the 32 worldwide post nesting Chelonia mydas sub populations 2 are found in the Mexican Coasts, one of them in Michoacan (Pacific Ocean) and the other in the Yucatán Peninsula (Atlantic Ocean). Lack of information about migration patterns, home ranges and anthropogenic interaction are factors that contribute to the intrinsic vulnerability of C. mydas populations anywhere around the world. The objective of this investigation was to identify migration routes and critical marine habitats for post nesting C. mydas individuals in the Yucatán Peninsula. Between June 2011 and January 2012 4 C. mydas post nesting individuals were tracked using satellite telemetry, 2 of them from continental beaches and the other 2 from insular ones. A geographic information system was used to integrate the collected information and used to identify migration routes for C. mydas as well as to estimate their home ranges. Three turtles moved and remained over the marine platform in the Banco de Campeche in Mexican territory, while one of the turtles migrated outside Mexican waters to Dry Tortuga (Florida, USA). The home ranges areas used by nesting females in continental beaches were significantly larger and further from the coast compared to those registered for females tracked from insular beaches. Based on the results we recommend management strategies planning for conservation of C. mydas in the Yucatán Peninsula.