[Coral-List] Turtle imprinting.

[Helen the Reef]

I live in Fiji. They are making it up on the spot...


On 25-Jul-14 9:19 AM, Melbourne Briscoe wrote:
> I visited an island in Fiji that is doing the capturing, raising, releasing. I asked this very question. They claimed the imprinting occurred when the turtles entered the water, not at birth.  They did not explain how they knew this, and I do not know if they were making it up on the spot.
>
> - Mel
>
> On July 24, 2014 4:39:57 PM EDT, John Ware <jware at erols.com> wrote:
>> Dear List:
>>
>> Not really a coral reef topic, but related:
>>
>> Over the past few years we have seen several resorts in tropical areas
>> that stand guard over sea-turtle egge clutches.  Then, when hatching
>> occurs, the young turtles are put in pens and raised until they are ~6
>> m
>> to 1 y old and then released.
>>
>> I know that female turtles return to their natal place to lay their
>> eggs.  The question is: When do they imprint on that natal place?  If
>> the imprinting must occur soon after hatching, then the well meaning
>> people at the resorts are actually doing a disservice.
>>
>> Anybody with real knowledge out there that can comment on the practice?
>>
>> John
>>
>> -- 
>>     *************************************************************
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>>     *                      John R. Ware, PhD                    *
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>> If you are a coral-reef scientist and you are not a member
>> of the International Society for Reef Studies, then
>> shame on you.
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>>
>>
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