Diving behavior of the Hawaiian green turtle ( Chelonia mydas) during oceanic migrations

Abstract

The diving behavior of an adult female and two adult male green turtles was recorded during their roundtrip breeding migration from Laniakea, Oahu, to French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These data represent the first detailed records of diving behavior of green turtles as they migrate to their breeding grounds. All three turtles exhibited a biphasic diving behavior. During the daylight hours, diving depth was shallow (1–4 m) and duration was short (1–18 min). It was assumed that the turtles were moving deliberately toward their destination during this time. Between 1900 and 1930 h daily, the turtles began a diving pattern consisting of deep dives with a mean maximum dive depth of 35–55 m and a mean duration of 35 to 44 min. The shallow diurnal diving began between 0600 and 0700 h, after the nocturnal deep-diving pattern ended. The adult female made two dives in excess of 135 m and one male made several dives in excess of 100 m. These are the deepest dives ever recorded for a naturally diving green turtle. It took an average of 36 days for the turtles to make the trip to French Frigate Shoals and an average of 30 days to make the return trip. The deep nocturnal diving was unexpected and this behavior is in need of further investigation.