Growth of head-started Kemp's Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) following release

Published source details Caillouet Jr C.W., Fontaine C., Manzella-Tirpak S.A. & Williams T.D. (1995) Growth of head-started Kemp's Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) following release. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 1, 231-234.
Share Tweet Email

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Release captive-bred reptiles into the wild: Sea turtles Action Link

Release captive-bred reptiles into the wild: Sea turtles

A replicated study in 1978–1992 at several sites on the Texan coast of the Gulf of Mexico, USA (Caillouet et al. 1995; same experimental set-up as Caillouet et al. 1995) found that some released captive-bred and reared Kemp's ridley turtles Lepidochelys kempii survived up to 9 years in the wild. Of the 22,608 turtles released, more than 117 were recaptured in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent bays 1–9 years after release. Recaptured turtles grew by 19–59 cm (straight carapace length) over a period of 1–9 years. In 1978–1992, a total of 22,608 turtles were released into the Gulf of Mexico or adjacent bays, including 18,790 yearlings. Of these yearlings, 18,174 (97%) were released into the Gulf of Mexico, and 616 (3%) into adjacent bays. Turtles were recaptured on an ad-hoc basis by a sea turtle stranding and salvage network and commercial or recreational fishers.

(Summarised by: William Morgan)