Dramatic reduction in predation on marine turtle nests through improved predator monitoring and management

Abstract

We describe improvements to monitoring/indexing methodology for predators of marine turtle nests on the east coast of Florida, and the resulting marine turtle conservation implications from integrating the methodology into predator management. A strip transect from dune line to the shore improved an already successful design for monitoring raccoons, and was also sensitive for armadillos. The data were integrated into predator management operations to effectively and efficiently remove the species responsible for turtle nest predation. Tracking plot data also served to validate predator patterns of behavior relative to turtle nesting and improve prospects for preventive predator management strategies. Perhaps the most important finding is that predation at a beach historically suffering nearly complete losses (95%) of marine turtle nests had nest predation reduced to nominal levels (9.4%). For 2002 this predation level represents an estimated 69,000 additional hatchling turtles produced over historical predation rates, and 16,700 additional hatchlings over the previous lowest predation rate.