A = Average number of females counted on a good 



mid season night. 

 B = 10 (mean number of nights of nesting) 

 C = 2 (overall nesting season lasts longer than 



that for 1 turtle) 

 D = 2.5 (mean number of years between returning to 



nest) 

 P = Population of nesting turtles 

 AxBxCxD = P 



MROSOVSKY; 



PRITCHARD; 



Based on Surinam research, he multiplied the 

 number of nesting females by the number of nesting 

 nights times a correction factor to obtain the 

 population estimate for nesting females. 



A break in nesting activities during the cycle may 

 occur and that this interruption could be a 

 complicating factor in estimating population 

 numbers . 



MROSOVSKY; 



The fast, rapid maturation of leatherbacks 

 presents an interesting living model to 

 investigate such things as imprinting, 

 headstarting and a range of alternative management 

 measures. 



BOULON : 



Have stranded turtles been necropsied to see when 

 sexual maturity is attained to determine if 

 reproductive maturity is reached at the same time 

 adult size is first reached? 



No answer from panel. 



PARSONS ; 



S. ECKERT: 



K. ECKERT; 



Such rapid growth in the leatherback would make 

 tagging difficult. The usefulness of plugs or 

 "living tags" was questioned. 



Leatherback tagging is indeed very difficult 

 because of such rapid growth, so that "living 

 tags" would not be feasible. Binary coded wire 

 tags have potential. A preliminary evaluation 

 showed that these were suitable for this species. 



Rapid growth factors 

 investigated in great 

 Evaluation of growth 

 their originating in 

 important. Maturity 

 animals and food and 

 natural conditions, 

 growth studies where 



in this species need to be 

 er depth and duration, 

 studies cited in light of 

 captive rearing projects is 

 occurs earlier in captive 

 feeding are unlike wild. 

 The two referenced captive 

 leatherbacks in the two year 



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