World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

WESTERN SAMOAPOPULATION:Chelonia mydasNesting sites Although C. mydas is considered the most common sea turtlein Western Samoan waters, no confirmed nest sites are known (Hirth, 1971;Witzell, 1982).Foraging sites Juvenile C. mydas can be seen in relatively large numbersaround reefs in Western Samoa throughout the year, and tend to congregatearound reef passages. Adults are seen mainly during December-February, whensubstantial numbers congregate near reef passages off Upolu, and feed onseagrasses in the area (Witzell, 1982).Migration No turtles tagged in Western Samoa have been recovered andnone tagged elsewhere have been found in Western Samoa; however Witzell(1982) suggests that the considerable juvenile foraging population in thecountry is derived from the Rose Atoll nesting site, in adjacent AmericanSamoa.POPULATION : Eretmochelys imbricataNesting sites A small population nests on three islets - Namu'a,Nu'utele and Nu'ulua - off the eastern tip of Upolu. Nesting beaches extendfor 175 m, 950 m, and 350 m, respectively (Witzell and Banner, 1980).Nesting numbers Witzell and Banner (1980, Fig. 5) indicate a maximum ofaround 25 tracks in both January and February 1972, with 0-10 in othermonths between September 1971 and August 1972. The annual breedingpopulation is clearly very small indeed; Balazs (1982c) suggests the trackcounts indicate not more than 45 females nest annually.Trends in nesting numbers According to Witzell and Banner (1980) theWestern Samoan turtle population is now a small remnant of the formernesting population; there is now no mainland nesting although turtles werereported to have used mainland beaches in former times, and only Nu'ulua, byvirtue of its relative inaccessibility, seems likely to support nesting inthe future.Nesting season Nesting occurs between September and July, with a peak inJanuary February (Witzell and Banner, 1980).Foraging sites Witzell and Banner (1980) report that a portion of thehatchling and juvenile population is present on Samoan reefs throughout theyear, and small E. imbricata of 4-40 cm length were frequently seen foragingin reef areas. Mature E . imbricata were also seen, but in numbers only inthe nesting season.THREATSExtensive human predation on eggs and nesting females is said to have causeda marked decline in Western Samoan turtle populations, and in the late 1970sappeared likely to cause the total extirpation of the E. imbricatapopulation in Western Samoa (Witzell and Banner, 1980).560