Environmental Science · Nature and Landscape Conservation
Green turtle nesting numbers at Indo-Pacific sites have increased fourfold over 30 years, but more turtles now appear to take four years rather than three to return and breed. The longer interval could reduce the number of nests produced by each adult, possibly because crowded populations make it harder to build the condition needed for migration and breeding.
Green turtles in the northern Great Barrier Reef did not consistently reuse the same routes between feeding and nesting areas. Tracking of eight turtles found that return journeys had little overlap with their outward routes, highlighting the varied paths conservation plans may need to consider.
Relocating green turtle nests affected hatching success and hatchling development in ways that were not explained by average incubation temperature alone. The findings suggest that leaving nests in place is preferable when possible, and that relocation sites should be assessed for more than their temperature.
