Grant: 25-048R
Project Title: Long-term monitoring of Florida's endangered leatherback sea turtle population.
Project Manager: Kelly Martin
Organization: Florida Leatherbacks Inc. (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $10,315.00
Completion Date:
Summary: Biologists with Florida Leatherbacks Inc. (FLI) have been studying leatherbacks in south Florida for over twenty years. A mark-recapture program initiated in Palm Beach County in 2001 identified more than 600 individuals and data collected have been used to define survival rate, remigration interval, population size, clutch frequency, genetic structure, post-nesting movement and many important biological parameters. Beginning in 2014, FLI biologists initiated research on Martin County beaches which host the highest density of leatherback nests. The study utilizes flipper tags, PIT tags, skin biopsies, measurements, and GPS technology to document and track nesting females. These results have been presented at numerous conferences and through informal educational opportunities. Additionally, the study has provided valuable data to local, state and federal management agencies responsible for this important population. Long-term population studies are often the only way to answer many questions about life history, reproductive biology, and habitat use, particularly for long-lived and wide-ranging animals. It is important to continue to use individual identification over a multi-decadal time frame to better understand this population and the potential impacts of anthropogenic forces on its survival. In 2025, FLI seeks support to survey 26 miles of densely nested beaches in Martin County to continue this crucial study through the purchase of an ATV and pit tags which are necessary to conduct our work.
Results: