MOHADIN; 



RUIZ; 



CHAVES ; 



RUIZ; 



REP. PANAMA; 



RUIZ; 



Do you have any data regarding how many nests a 

 turtle can lay in one season, and what the 

 remigration interval is? 



1.5 to 3 nests per season, and they can return 

 yearly. 



We won't be able to discuss Ostional tomorrow, 

 you could mention more now, it would be 

 appreciated. 



If 



Egg harvesting is allowed on the first night of 

 the arribada, but not at all on the following 

 nights. The collected eggs are washed, packed, 

 labelled and distributed to places where illegally 

 gathered eggs are eaten in Costa Rica. This 

 drives down the price of illegally taken eggs, 

 thus discouraging that activity. Environmental 

 education is also a part of the program. The 

 income obtained from the sale of these eggs goes 

 60% to the community and 40% to the project. 



In Panama, olive ridleys were abundant at Isla de 

 Canas until 1960. They declined a great deal in 

 numbers, and we began to protect them. By 1980 

 there was a notable increase, in 1981 there was an 

 arribada of 2,000-10,000 in 3 nights and by Sept. 

 1984 there were 33 consecutive days of nesting 

 with 18,000-30,000 turtles. Can you explain this 

 rapid recovery? 



This is difficult to explain. Possibly, this is a 

 result of conservation, but not likely. These are 

 probably nesters from another population. Do you 

 agree, Rene Marquez? 



MARQUE Z ; 

 CHAVES ; 



FIGUEROA: 



Yes. 



Similar things have happened at Ostional. Olive 

 ridleys are susceptible to cyclical fluctuations. 



The following summarizes the work done by the 

 University of Michoacan at the nesting site of the 

 black turtle ( Chelonia agassizi) in Pacific 

 Mexico. Work is directed by Javier Alvarado and 

 supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 and World Wildlife Fund. The project covers 

 approximately 20 km of beach and nests are 

 translocated to hatcheries; 80% of the eggs are of 

 Chelonia agassizi . and the peak nesting season is 

 Sept. to Dec. We have been working for six years 



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