Blood Values in Free-Ranging Nesting Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys Coriacea) on the Coast of the Republic of Gabon

Abstract

Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are the most endangered of the seven species of sea turtles. The health status of leatherbacks is largely unknown, although the number of nesting females recorded throughout the world has decreased precipitously in the last few decades. Central African beaches may provide one of the last strongholds for nesting leatherback females. In the region, oil extraction and incidental capture pose significant threats to the health of the population. Physical examinations, hematology, plasma biochemistry, plasma corticosterone concentration, plasma protein electrophoresis, plasma vitamin concentrations, and toxicological parameters were evaluated in nesting female leatherbacks in the Republic of Gabon. The general clinical condition of the 35 turtles examined in this study was rated as good. The blood value results for a subset of these turtles are presented and compared to published results from other sea turtles. To the authors' knowledge, these are the first published baseline hematology, plasma biochemistry, and plasma protein electrophoresis values from clinically healthy nesting leatherback turtles.

Comparison of Blood Values in Foraging, Nesting, and Stranded Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta Caretta) Along the Coast of Georgia, Usa

“…Values from this study are similar to values in nesting leatherback turtles, cholesterol (7.58 mmol/l6 1.89) and triglyceride (4.65 mmol/l6 0.40; Deem et al, 2006), but differs from previously published cholesterol (2.74 mmol/l) and triglyceride (0.98 mmol/l) values for free-ranging foraging loggerhead juvenile and adult turtles (Bolten et al, 1992), values similar to the foraging loggerheads in this study. The higher total protein, albumin, and globulin values for nesting females is also compatible with the reproductive state of turtles in this behavior (Harr et al, 2001;Campbell, 2004).…”

Serum biochemistry profile determination for wild loggerhead sea turtles nesting in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…However, according to WILKINSON (2004), calcium is mobilized for egg formation during the reproductive period. DEEM et al (2006) also found elevated calcium and phosphorus levels in a population of nesting leatherbacks.…”

Post-mortem investigations on a leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea stranded along the Northern Adriatic coastline

“…Pb, Hg, Cd and As) but significantly lower hepatic Fe levels compared with those indicated by (albeit scarce) existing data on Dermochelys coriacea (Davenport & Wrench 1990, Caurant et al 1999, Godley et al 1999, Deem et al 2006, Guirlet et al 2008, Innis et al 2010, Harris et al 2011. The data obtained for Se, Zn, Hg, Cd and Pb concentrations were also higher than those reported for loggerhead and green sea turtles from the Mediterranean area (Andreani et al 2008).…”