Small-scale movements and site fidelity of two sympatric sea turtle species at a remote atoll

Aldabra Atoll serves as a critical study area for understanding the movement and site fidelity of immature green and hawksbill sea turtles. Analysis of long-term capture–mark–recapture (CMR) data from 1981 to 2021 reveals that green turtles exhibit lower site fidelity compared to hawksbill turtles, with some sites showing avoidance behavior. This behavior is not correlated with season or turtle size and varies between species, indicating distinct ecological roles. The study highlights the potential of CMR methods for detecting fine-scale movement patterns but underscores the need for further research into habitat characteristics to fully understand these behaviors.

Sanchez, C. L., Bunbury, N., Mortimer, J. A., A’Bear, L., Appoo, J., Betts, M., von Brandis, R., Cook, L., van de Crommenacker, J., Currie, J. C., Doak, N., Fleischer-Dogley, F., Mahoune, T., Mederic, E., Mels, B., Pistorius, P., Richards, H., Samedi, U., & Casale, P. (2024). Small-scale movements and site fidelity of two sympatric sea turtle species at a remote atoll. Marine Biology, 171(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-024-04414-5