Hematological and biochemical parameters in Sea turtles (Caretta caretta) after stranding

Abstract

The turtle Caretta caretta is the most abundant of sea turtles that reproduces in the Mediterranean Sea. Caretta caretta is also classified as a vulnerable species and the Mediterranean population in the past years has been in decline. The danger for these marine organisms is linked to the anthropization of the coasts, to marine traffic, to the pollution of the sea, above all due to the presence of plastic debris and threats related to fishing.The aim of this study was to document the state of health of these animals after stranding. We examined whether hematological and biochemical parameters determine the survival of the individual or not. We highlighted how anthropic pressure continues to alter the typical ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea.Turtles that cannot survive after stranding show altered hematological and biochemical parameters compared to surviving individuals. This highlights the presence in these animals of severe anemia, kidney damage (evidenced by increased level of uric acid and alanine transferase) and cellular necrosis in various tissues (high levels of aspartate aminotransferase and Lactate dehydrogenase).The results obtained show that the hematological and biochemical parameters can be a good tool to evaluate the possibility of survival of stranded turtles.