Rehabilitation and restoration of sea turtles egg laying habitats in Bushehr province (with emphasis on Nakhiloo, Omolgorm and Kharkoo Islands and Naiband National Park)

Majid Askari Hesni

Department of biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman Iran

Abstract

Sea turtles are one of the most important animals in marine ecosystem which have significant role in marine food chains. According to population decline of these animals, this study investigated on rehabilitation and restoration of sea turtles egg laying habitat in Bushehr province with emphasis on Nakhiloo, Omolgorm and Kharkoo Islands and Naiband National Park in 2015 nesting season. In preliminary studies talented coasts and their threats identified then monitoring team was formed. Monitoring performed from March to August 2015 in all area. During the monitoring, tried as much as possible, eliminate the threats each region. In this project, try to remove the threats by organizing workshops to alert local communities and also with garbage collection and fishing equipment as well as construction of the hatchery site. At the monitoring period all patients with eggs and hatchling as well as died turtles were biometrics. Environmental factors and nests biometry (at the time of peak egg-laying, May and June) were recorded. Results showed that the most important threatening factors were coast and marine debris, released fishing gears in the sea and beach, entanglement in fishing net near the coast, noise and light pollution at some beaches and natural predators (foxes and birds). In this study hawksbill turtles observed in the beach for nesting and egg laying. Tagging turtles and retrieval turtles in Naiband, Omolgorm, Nakhiloo and Kharkoo were 25, 58, 72, 4, and 0, 5, 20 and 1, respectively. And also egg total number from each turtle calculated 104.8, 111, 110 and 109 in these area. CCL, CCW, SCL and SCW were 71.9, 64.5, 66.5 and 54.1 in Naiband, 71.6, 63.5, 65.8 and 50.2 in Omolgorm, 71.4, 61.05, 65.9 and 53.6 in Nakhiloo and also 70.9, 59.1, 64.4 and 50.1 in Kharkoo, respectively. Egg diameter and weight were 35.1, 36.9, 36.4 and 39.03 mm and 28.8, 29.04, 29.2 and 34.5 gr in these areas. Hatchling length and weight calculated 37.4, 37.6, 37.3 and 37.7 mm and 12.4, 12.2, 12.5 and 12.5gr in Naiband, Omolgorm, Nakhiloo and Kharkoo, respectively. Incubation period was between 40 to 75 days in different area. Hatching percent calculated 76.77, 63.6, 65.3 and 62.1 in Naiband, Omolgorm, Nakhiloo and Kharkoo, respectively. Environment factors including air temperature (36.7, 34.3, 33.2 and 31.2 °C), nest temperature (32.2, 31.3, 31.4 and not measurement), air humidity (76.4, 86.4, 89.1 and 93.2%) and nest humidity (5.93, 7.26, 7.83 and not measurement) calculated in Naiband, Omolgorm, Nakhiloo and Kharkoo, respectively. High water line distance to nest were 13.6, 14.3, 13.6 and 12.4m and also low water line distance to nest calculated 19.2, 16.1, 21.1 and not observed in in Naiband, Omolgorm, Nakhiloo and Kharkoo, respectively. In conclusion all nesting and egg laying area in Bushehr province have good conditions relatively and should be categorized as sensitive regions. Education of local communities and delete of the natural and human threats carry out for turtle conservation, constantly.

Keywords: Rehabilitation and restoration, Hawksbill turtle, Bushehr, Biometry, Sensitive area.