Sea turtle strandings and the importance of the restinga de Jurubatiba National Park in loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nesting sites

Abstract

Protected areas represent important refuges for several species of fauna, mitigating human impacts and providing food resources and reproductive sites. In this study, analyzed the stranding pattern of sea turtles and the importance of the largest restinga protected area in Brazil, the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a potential nesting site for Caretta caretta. A total of 352 strandings were recorded from October 2017 to September 2020 by direct monitoring on the beaches. The species with the highest recorded stranding was Chelonia mydas (n = 146), followed by Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 100), Caretta caretta (n = 91), Dermochelys coriacea (n = 11) and Eretmochelys imbricata (n = 4). The highest number of stranding records occurred in the end of winter and during spring. A total of 223 nests were registered, mostly in spring and summer, with most records of C. caretta nesting between November and December. The occurrence of nesting in the park area demonstrates it is importance for the conservation of sea turtles, since the lack of urbanization reduces anthropogenic impacts such as overfishing, egg collection, running over and artificial lighting, which favors that these animals complete their cycle of life.