Sea turtles are modifying their nesting patterns in response to rising temperatures, as revealed by recent studies. Researchers from the University of Exeter and the Society for the Protection of Turtles monitored green and loggerhead turtles in Cyprus for three decades and found that they are advancing their nesting season.
Sea turtles rely on temperature to determine the sex of their offspring, with higher temperatures favoring the birth of females. Additionally, when the heat is extreme, the hatching rate significantly decreases. To counteract this impact, turtles started nesting in colder months, ensuring better incubation conditions.
Researchers installed temperature loggers in the nests and concluded that turtles need to nest approximately 0.5 days earlier per year to maintain their current sex ratio and 0.7 days earlier to prevent hatching failures. Data reveals that, since 1993, loggerhead turtles advanced their nesting by 0.78 days per year, indicating a natural response to increasing temperatures.
“It is good news that turtles are reacting to climate change by adjusting their nesting period,” said Professor Annette Broderick from the University of Exeter. “However, there is no certainty that they can continue adapting indefinitely, as other factors, such as food availability, can also influence their reproductive success.”
sea turtles[/caption>
What else is known about sea turtle nesting?
Another study, based on 31 years of data on over 600 green turtles, identified that individual turtles adjust their nesting based on sea temperature, laying eggs 6.47 days earlier for every 1°C increase in ocean temperature. However, this factor explains only 30% of the change, as the age and experience of females also influence it.
Despite this natural adaptation, experts warn that if temperatures continue to rise, nesting conditions in Cyprus could become inadequate. “Turtles may seek cooler places in the Mediterranean in the future,” explained Dr. Damla Beton from the Society for the Protection of Turtles.
These findings underscore the need to continue monitoring the impact of climate change on marine fauna and adopt conservation measures to ensure the survival of these species in the long term.
Ocean protection
What is the nesting season of sea turtles?
According to experts, the nesting season of sea turtles occurs between April and October, depending on the coasts, as they look for secluded places to lay their eggs. It is worth noting that nesting is understood as the process by which turtles make their nests to then lay their eggs, between October and March.
Once they lay their eggs, these animals usually remain incubating for 90 to 120 days, depending on the nest temperatures.
Have you visited our YouTube channel yet? Subscribe now!
