Green Turtles Highlight Connectivity Across a Regional Marine Protected Area Network in West Africa

Green turtles in West Africa's regional marine protected area (MPA) network, RAMPAO, exhibit significant connectivity across multiple countries, highlighting the importance of international conservation efforts. Satellite tracking of 45 female green turtles revealed that while 94.8% of their internesting positions were within MPAs, foraging behavior varied widely: some remained near breeding sites (40-90 km away), others migrated up to 1,000 km to Mauritania. Notably, 78% of foraging positions and 21% of migration corridors overlapped with RAMPAO MPAs, though critical areas like the Cap-Vert peninsula remain unprotected. This study underscores the role of MPA networks in green turtle conservation, offering actionable insights for expanding protected areas to meet global biodiversity targets.

Patrício, A. R., Beal, M., Barbosa, C., Diouck, D., Godley, B. J., Madeira, F. M., Regalla, A., Traoré, M. S., Senhoury, C., Sidina, E., & Catry, P. (2022). Green Turtles Highlight Connectivity Across a Regional Marine Protected Area Network in West Africa. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.812144