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DISPERSAL AND PREDATION RATE OF TURTLE HATCHLINGS DURING
EARLY SWIMMING EFFORT AT CHAGAR HUTANG BAY, PULAU REDANG.
WONG KEE SIANG
Supervisor: Dr. Mohd Uzair Rusli
Bachelor of Science (Marine Science)
School of Marine and Environmental Sciences
University Malaysia Terengganu
The greatest rate of mortality in sea turtles is thought to occur in early life phase;
beginning from egg incubation, crawling down to the beach and early swimming effort.
However, the natural mortality of incubating eggs and hatchlings on the nesting beach
does not presumably high enough to explain the observed high fecundity. Therefore,
it is crucial to provide empirical data on the survival rate of sea turtle hatchlings upon
swimming leaving their natal beach. This experiment intended (i) to determine natural
predation rate while swimming offshore, and (ii) to compare the predation rate
between day and night time. Hatchlings were equipped with lighted float tethered with
5m fishing line and were followed individually by kayaker holding the GPS tracker
when they leave the beach. We found out that most of our data shows night time
predation rates were higher than day time. Variation in predation may associated with
the phases of the moon is somewhat more difficult to account for in terms of known
patterns of fish feeding behavior. The natural night time emergence of turtle hatchling
never meant to eliminate exposure to diurnal predators, but potentially avoiding lethal
daytime heat while crawling down on the beach.
1927 | UMT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY 2018