Recent observations of Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761), in the waters of Pacific Panama

By

Flores, Eric E.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022-3-22

Original Publication

Neotropical Biology and Conservation

Volume

17

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

103--110

Subjects

Boat strikes , Eastern Tropical Pacific , ETP , leatherback sea turtle , Pacific Panama , Pacific Panama Boat strikes

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Brazil Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.17.e81465

 

Abstract

The situation of the Eastern Tropical Pacific subpopulation of the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is critical due to the drastic declines of nesting females. Evidence of the presence of leatherback sea turtles along the Pacific coast of Panama is anecdotal and is based on the local knowledge of local residents. I present here an uncommon observation of a subadult and an adult D. coriacea in the waters off the coast of Azuero Peninsula in central Panama. These observations indicate the need for intensive surveys along this coast that in part may rely on key local informants to urgently implement conservation efforts for this species.