Sea turtles of Madagascar - their status, exploitation and conservation

Abstract

Five species of sea turtles are known from Madagascar’s coastal waters. Fishermen on the western and south-western coasts take green turtle Chelonia mydas, loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta and olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea for their meat. The hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata is taken mainly for its shell and for making stuffed specimens while the leatherback Dermochelys coriacea is seldom caught. Anecdotal evidence of fishermen and dealers in turtle products, measurement of captured animals and personal observations of the authors all point to declines in numbers and average size for green and hawksbill turtles, coupled with marked declines in nesting rates for these and the olive ridley. High catches of green turtles around Toliara prove the importance of coral reef feeding grounds but may be depleting protected populations from Europa Island and elsewhere. Protective legislation exists but has not been enforced. The authors make recommendations for further action. © 1994, Fauna and Flora International. All rights reserved.