World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

GUAMPOPULATION:Chelonia mydasNesting sites Although C. mydas occurs in moderate abundance in Guamwaters, and can be seen throughout the year, nesting is very sparse; it hasbeen recorded on beaches at the north end of the island (including TaragueBeach and the Naval Facility area), and at a few isolated sites in the eastand south (H. Kami in litt. . 10 September 1986; Molina, 1979; Pritchard,1982b). Turtles formerly nested on Cocos Island, off the south coast(H. Kami, cited in Pritchard, 1982b).Nesting numbers Nesting is very sparse. Ten or fewer turtle nests havebeen recorded in each year from 1980 to 1986, and although most nests couldnot be attributed to species, those that could be identified were byC. mydas (H. Kami in litt. . 30 October 1986). Only three confirmed C. mydasnests were recorded in 1986, all at the Naval Facility (H. Kami in litt. .10 September 1986)Trends in nesting numbers Little precise information is available;nesting now no longer occurs on Cocos Island (due to disturbance), and eggharvesting appears to have been more common before World War II (sourcescited in Pritchard, 1982b). This suggests some degree of decline in nestingnumbersNesting season The three nests recorded in 1986 were laid in May-June.Numbers of turtles in Guam waters are reportedly greater every third year,and numbers within a year are highest in winter (December-February) and latespring (May-June) (Molina, 1979); it is not clear whether these fluctuationsbear any relation to nesting acitivity.Foraging sites No detailed information available; the species occursthroughout the year in Guam waters.POPULATION: Kretmochelys imbricataAlthough the species occurs in Guam territory, and nesting is reported tooccur, numbers (including nesting) are lower than C. mydas (H. Kamiin litt. . 10 September 1986). On available evidence, nesting byE. imbricata would appear to be of very little significance.THREATSLittle information is available. General disturbance and human activity onnesting beaches appear to be the main threats to nesting turtles (Kami, inPritchard, 1982b; Molina 1979).EXPLOITATIONCommodity Johannes (1986) reported that turtle meat rarely featured inthe diet of the islanders, although Pritchard (1982b) related that the eggswere "actively sought". In former times, the blood was thought to be a curefor asthma and tuberculosis (Johannes, 1986).Hunting intensity Turtles are no longer thought to be exploited on Guam(H. Kami in litt. . 10 September 1986).208