While olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) occur throughout tropical oceans their physiological ecology has been poorly documented. In May 2005, satellite-relayed data loggers (SRDLs) were attached during oviposition to four adult female olive ridley turtles on the Wessell Islands, northern Australia. Subsequent nesting haul-outs were determined for two of these turtles using a combination of movement and diving data. Internesting intervals were relatively long (27 and 18 days, respectively) for hard-shelled turtles given the warm (27-28 °C) water temperatures, possibly due to a low metabolic rate for this species. Turtles travelled considerable distances during the internesting interval (200 and 125 km respectively), possibly associated with a search for food or alternative nesting sites. Changes in dive behaviour suggest that olive ridleys prepare for oviposition by searching for an appropriate beach over several days. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
CITATION STYLE
Hamel, M. A., McMahon, C. R., & Bradshaw, C. J. A. (2008). Flexible inter-nesting behaviour of generalist olive ridley turtles in Australia. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 359(1), 47–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2008.02.019
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