Male-Biased Primary Sex Ratio of Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) at the Huon Coast, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This study investigated the sex ratio of leatherback turtle hatchlings along the Huon Coast, Papua New Guinea, from January to March 2007. Results show that this population predominantly produces male hatchlings throughout the peak of the nesting season. The long-term decline of leatherback nesting along the Huon Coast, in conjunction with the highly male-biased sex ratio, presents serious challenges for the management and recovery of the western Pacific leatherback meta-population.