Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Wyneken, Jeanette

Abstract

Despite decades of conservation efforts, population recovery remains elusive for the loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) nesting in Florida, the largest aggregation globally. Limited studies exist regarding reproductive strategies and in-water habitat use of loggerheads in southeastern Florida. I used satellite telemetry to track the movements of 17 nesting loggerheads on Juno and Jupiter Beaches during the 2020 and 2021 nesting seasons. The majority of females displayed high nest-site fidelity. Inter-nesting intervals ranged from 10–19 days and were negatively correlated with water temperatures. Core inter-nesting areas ranged from 3.7–805.8 km2 and were located a mean 1.6 km from land. Mean clutch frequency was 5.9 nests/female, the highest reported for any loggerhead population worldwide. These findings suggest the number of females in the southeastern Florida population may be over-estimated due to an underestimated clutch frequency. Protective measures should target high-use coastal areas to maximize conservation benefits.

Extent

62 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Thesis (MS)--Florida Atlantic University, 2022.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00013882

Format

pdf

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