World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

COOK ISLANDSPOPULATION:Chelonia mydasNesting sites Most nesting occurs on Palmerston, but is also recorded onother atolls in the north of the group, including Pukapuka, Manihiki,Rakahanga, Penrhyn, and reportedly Suwarrow, Manuae and Takutea, also on thevolcanic Rarotonga (N. Sims in litt . 28 August 1986; Balazs, 1982c).Nesting numbers No numerical data are available; Sims ( in litt. .28 August 1986) characterises nesting by C. mydas as "common" on Palmerston,"uncommon" on other northern atolls, "sporadic" on Takutea and Rarotonga,and overall nesting abundance as "low".Trends in nesting numbers A local informant, cited by Balazs (1982c),stated that nesting numbers on Palmerston declined from 1972 to 1977 (andthat the Island Council prohibited use of spearguns as a result). WhilstPalmerston has been cited as an important C. mydas nest site (e.g. Hirth,1971), and nesting is now rated as minor (Sims in litt. , 28 August 1986),suggesting that decline has occurred, past nesting levels have not beendocumented. Sims ( in litt. , 28 August 1986) suggests that numbers are nowstable.Nesting season Hatchlings have been recorded on Palmerston in January,suggesting that nesting occurs in November at least, but the extent of theseason is unknown (Balazs, 1982c).Foraging sites No specific information.POPULATION: Eretmochelys imbricataAccording to Balazs (1982c) the Hawksbill nests at Pukapuka, Penrhyn, andpossibly Minihiki and Rakahanga, and others where unspecified sea turtlesoccur. According to Sims ( in litt. , 28 August 1986) the species does notnest, except possibly on Palmerston. No further information.THREATSThe banning of spearguns at Palmerston in response to a decline in turtlenesting in the late 1970s implies that this hunting technique was perceivedas a threat to turtle populations. Turtle exploitation, for eggs, meat andpreparation of shells and immatures as curios, is seemingly widespread inthe Cook Islands (Balazs, 1982c), but the acuity of the threat posed toturtle populations cannot be assessed. No other information is available.EXPLOITATIONCommodity Turtle meat is regularly eaten on some of the islands, andthere is some trade in shell products. Balazs (1982c) indicated that eggswere also eaten, but Sims ( in litt. . 28 August 1986) emphatically deniedthat this was the case. Turtle meat is said not to be readily accepted inRarotonga, and turtles on Penrhyn were taken principally for their shell(Balazs, 1982c).Hunting Intensity Balazs (1982c) reported that turtles were eaten onPalmerston, Pukapuka, Manihiki, and possibly Penrhyn. The quantitiesinvolved are not known, although turtles were said to be frequently eaten on144