Mixed-Stock Composition Analyses Suggest Michoacán and Revillagigedo as the Principal Sources of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Foraging Grounds Populations in the Baja California Peninsula

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) foraging populations in the Baja California peninsula, Mexico, primarily originate from nesting sites in the Eastern Pacific, specifically the Revillagigedo Islands and Michoacán coast. A two-year study analyzed mitochondrial DNA from turtles at Bahía de Los Ángeles (BLA) and Complejo Lagunar Ojo de Liebre (CLOL), revealing that both source populations contribute equally to these foraging grounds (Bayes Factor <1.9). This finding highlights the importance of protecting critical nesting areas in Revillagigedo to safeguard these endangered turtles' migratory pathways.

Arce-Jiménez, S., Flores-López, C. A., Ramírez-Delgado, D., & Solana-Arellano, E. (2026). Mixed-Stock Composition Analyses Suggest Michoacán and Revillagigedo as the Principal Sources of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Foraging Grounds Populations in the Baja California Peninsula. Pacific Science, 79(4). https://doi.org/10.2984/79.4.3