Phu, Jiun Lang (2015) Boat strikes on resident sea turtles in Mabul Island, Semporna. Universiti Malaysia Sabah. (Unpublished)
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Abstract
Boat strikes on sea turtles often cause injuries and tend to leave markings, wounds, or often cause direct mortality to sea turtles. However, there were no publications regarding boat strikes on sea turtles in Asian countries. The current study is limited to investigating the number of surviving sea turtles after the boat strike incidents. The objective of this study is to identify boat strike incidents as a threat to the resident sea turtles in Mabul Island, Semporna. Green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles in Mabul Island were captured using the Johnny and Subuh (JS) method. From March 2013 to November 2014, 217 individual sea turtles were captured for data collection. Green turtles consisted of 198 individuals and 19 individuals were hawksbill turtles. There were 45 green turtles found with injuries that were caused by boat strikes, bites, fishing gear entanglements, barnacle scar, and unknown causes. There was only one hawksbill turtle found with bite injuries, while no injuries were found In other captured hawksbill turtles. The number of bite marks and boat strike injuries on green turtles were significantly higher than injuries of other causes (chi-square = 23.130, df = 4, p<0.01). From the different types of boat strike injuries, the dominant type of injuries were the straight cut wounds (68%, N = 15), followed by parallel cut wounds (14%, N = 3), blunt force wounds (9%, N = 2), and deep incised wounds (9%, N = 2). In terms of severity of boat strike injuries, the number of rank 2 severity injuries were Significantly higher than other injuries (chisquare = 14.545, df = 5, P = 0.012, N = 9). The results of the current study showed that sea turtles foraging in Mabul Island are susceptible to the collision with boats. It is recommended that the speed of boats is regulated to reduce the rate of boat strike incidents on sea turtles.
| Item Type: | Academic Exercise |
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| Keyword: | boat strike, turtles, Mabul Island, threat |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GC Oceanography |
| Department: | FACULTY > Faculty of Science and Natural Resources |
| Depositing User: | MUNIRA BINTI MARASAN - |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Feb 2018 16:03 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Feb 2018 16:03 |
| URI: | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/18946 |
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