Stephanie Duenas, Laszlo Kover, Dmitriy Korobitsyn and Falk Huettman
20130731
Marine turtle nesting track survey on Playa de Coco, Nicaragua, and Playa Vigilada (Pacuare) and Tortuguero, Costa Rica, July 2013
1
database
1
1
Maderas Rainforest Conservancy
authors
None
Maderas Rainforest Conservancy
Marine turtle tracks were observed on the beaches of Playa de Coco (Pacific, southwest Nicaragua; latitude 11.15382 , longitude 85.80051; WGS 84 ), Playa Vigilada (Pacuare; latitude 10.20123, longitude 83.25925) and Tortuguero (Caribbean, Costa Rica; latitude 10.59583, longitude 83.52520) during the early morning hours. Number of sea turtle tracks were counted along a transect. This was done by walking along the shore every morning to look for specific tracks that matched the tracks of sea turtle species. Maximum number of tracks observed was 8, while the minimum number obsereved was 0. Tracks had distinct features with flipper tracks visible on the edges of the tracts with a single line down the middle were the tail would drag. Tracks were seen to go straight onto the shore while some came up the shore and curved slightly before going back to the ocean. Tracks were observed near resturants and hotels. We observed Olive Ridely sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea, TSN 173840) in Playa de Coco, hatchling Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea, TSN 173843), and Green sea turtles (Chelonya mydas, TSN173833) in Playa Vigilada and Tortuguero,
Describe tracks on beach based on morning surveys for marine turtles on the shore of Playa de Coco (Pacific, southwest Nicaragua), Playa Vigilada (Pacuare) and Tortuguero (Caribbean, Costa Rica) during the month of July 2013.
20130706
20130706
observed
Daily
Playa de Coco is 957m long and located adjacent to La Flor. The public beach is curved and narrow with high rocks at each end of the beach. There are resturants and hotels for tourists along the coast as well as trees and vegitation. There is no protection of the turtles on the beach. Lights remain on and tourist often shine flashlights to the ocean from the shore line during the night. Fireworks have also been observed at night.
Playa Vigilada (Pacuare reserve) is a 6km long public beach. Narrow and straight with a tropical forest running along the coast.
Tortuguero has a public beach of which 1.75km was surveyed. Some hotels and houses are found on this section.
85.79651
83.23883
11.14682
10.19951
None
marine turtle
marine turtle tracks
Playa de Coco
Nicaragua
Pacific
Rivas
Playa Vigilada
Pacuare Reserve
Costa Rica
Caribbean
Conservation
Ecology
Central America
Olive Ridely sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea, TSN 173840)
Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea, TSN 173843)
Green sea turtles (Chelonya mydas, TSN173833)
None
Central America
Nicaragua
Playa de Coco
Rivas
Pacuare Reserve
Playa Vigilada
Costa Rica
Tortuguero
Caribbean
Pacific
Testudines
vertebrate
reptile
marine turtle
Olive Ridely sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea, TSN 173840)
Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea, TSN 173843)
Green sea turtles (Chelonya mydas, TSN173833)
Unknown
Unknown
authors
Observing tracks on the beach that had markings made from the turtles flippers, dragging plastron and tail.
Kingdom
Animalia
Animal
animaux
animals
Phylum
Chordata
cordés
cordado
chordates
Subphylum
Vertebrata
vertebrado
vertébrés
vertebrates
Class
Reptilia
répteis
reptiles
Reptiles
Order
Testudines
terrapins
tortoises
tortues
Turtles
Family
Cheloniidae
marine turtles
modern sea turtles
Sea Turtles
Genus
Chelonia
Green Sea Turtles
Species
Chelonia mydas
Green Sea Turtle
Tortuga-marina verde-del Atlántico
common green sea turtle
Genus
Lepidochelys
Ridley Sea Turtles
Species
Lepidochelys olivacea
olive ridley sea turtle
Pacific ridley
Pacific ridley sea turtle
Olive Ridley
Tortuga-marina escamosa-del Pacífico
Family
Dermochelyidae
leatherback turtles
Leatherback Sea Turtles
Genus
Dermochelys
Leatherback Sea Turtles
Species
Dermochelys coriacea
leatherback sea turtle
leatherback turtle
Leatherback
Tortuga-marina laúd
tinglar
tortue luth
None
None
Maderas Rainforest Conservancy
ITIS.org for taxonomy
NA
Unclassified
NA
Note book and PC
James R. Spotila
2004
Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation
1
ITIS.org
Unknown
none
Playa Coco, Nicaragua
0.001
0.001
Decimal degrees
World Geodetic System of 1984
World Geodetic System of 1984
6378137
298.25722210088
North American Vertical Datum of 1988
meters
Data on turtle tracks observed
number of observed tracks on the beach
number of tracks observed
Month
Month of the year
calendar
day
day of the month
calendar
year
year data was collected
calendar
beach
beach in which survey took place
observer
number of tracks
number of tracks counted during observation
observer
Contact Author
none
20130712
Stephanie Duenas, Falk Huettmann
mailing and physical
419 Irving I
Fairbanks
Alaska
99775
USA
907 474 7882
fhuettmann@alaska.edu
business days
by phone, in person, or email
FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001.1-1999