Intraseasonal Nesting Activity of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Carettacaretta) in Southeastern North Carolina

Abstract

Abstract Intraseasonal nesting patters were determined for loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting on Bald Head Island, North Carolina, one of the northernmost nesting concentrations along the east coast of North America. One hundred and twenty-seven nesting females were tagged with Inconel flipper tags and photographed, accounting for 83% of the 318 nests produced during the 1991 and 1992 nesting seasons. No female nested in both years. Nest production was similar both years. Most females (55.9%) nested once, 5.5% nested twice, 15.0% nested three times, 7.9% nested four times, 12.6% nested five times and 3.1% nested six times. The internesting interval averaged 13.7 d (range 10–18) in 1991 and 14.2 d (range 11–18) in 1992, and it was significantly influenced by seawater temperature. Intraseasonal nest site fidelity was signifcant; most multiple-nesting females (67.9%) confined their nesting activities within 4.8 km. Loggerheads in the northernmost part of their nesting range in the western North ...