Inferred Adult Foraging Grounds of Two Marine Turtle Species Nesting at Amami-Oshima, Japan

Loggerhead turtles nesting at Amami-Oshima Island, Japan, primarily forage in the East China Sea, with one individual taking a detour through the Sea of Japan before moving to warmer waters. In contrast, green turtles from the same site exhibit diverse foraging behaviors, with some migrating to Japan's main islands, others moving southwest of Amami, and one remaining near Amami throughout the study period. This variation in migration patterns suggests distinct foraging strategies between species and highlights the importance of regional sea temperature in guiding turtle movements. Researchers tracked 10 turtles using satellite tags over late June and July 2015 to map their post-nesting migrations, providing critical insights into the adult foraging grounds of these marine turtles.

Oki, K., Hamabata, T., Arata, T., Parker, D. M., Ng, C. K. Y., & Balazs, G. H. (2019). Inferred Adult Foraging Grounds of Two Marine Turtle Species Nesting at Amami-Oshima, Japan. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 18(1), 91. https://doi.org/10.2744/ccb-1337.1