Abstract
A subadult leatherback turtle was documented in the Gulf of Goubet (Djibouti) during a research expedition. This sighting confirms for the first time previous anecdotal observations of the occurrence of the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761), in Djibouti waters. Coupled with observations from fishers, this finding underlines the urgent need to carry out research programs to evaluate the species habitat use within Djibouti waters, and to review the species distribution in the Gulf of Aden. Although marine turtles are protected in Djibouti, illegal harvest and entanglement in fishing gear pose a threat to their survival, and conservation measures should be implemented.
Highlights
A subadult leatherback turtle was documented in the Gulf of Goubet (Djibouti) during a research expedition
The leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761), is the most pelagic and widely distributed marine turtle species (Marquez 1990), and is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with a decreasing population (Wallace et al 2013). Distribution of both juveniles and adults likely reflects the spatiotemporal abundance of zooplanktonic prey, and leatherback turtles have been observed aggregating in areas where jellyfish blooms occur (James et al 2005)
Anecdotal reports from fishers have reported sightings of leatherback turtles in Djibouti (Hamann et al 2006), none of these were accompanied by reliable documentation
Summary
A subadult leatherback turtle was documented in the Gulf of Goubet (Djibouti) during a research expedition. The leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761), is the most pelagic and widely distributed marine turtle species (Marquez 1990), and is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with a decreasing population (Wallace et al 2013). Distribution of both juveniles and adults likely reflects the spatiotemporal abundance of zooplanktonic prey, and leatherback turtles have been observed aggregating in areas where jellyfish blooms occur (James et al 2005).
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