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The Journal of Experimental Biology 204, 4093-4098 (2001)
© 2001 The Company of Biologists Limited

The diving behaviour of green turtles undertaking oceanic migration to and from Ascension Island: dive durations, dive profiles and depth distribution

G. C. Hays1,*, S. Åkesson2, A. C. Broderick1, F. Glen1, B. J. Godley1, P. Luschi3, C. Martin1, J. D. Metcalfe4 and F. Papi3

1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK,
2 Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden,
3 Dipartimento di Etologia, Ecologia, Evoluzione, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, I-56126 Pisa, Italy and
4 The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, UK

*e-mail: g.hays{at}swan.ac.uk

Accepted September 11, 2001

Satellite telemetry was used to record the submergence duration of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as they migrated from Ascension Island to Brazil (N=12 individuals) while time/depth recorders (TDRs) were used to examine the depth distribution and dive profiles of individuals returning to Ascension Island to nest after experimental displacement (N=5 individuals). Satellite telemetry revealed that most submergences were short (<5 min) but that some submergences were longer (>20 min), particularly at night. TDRs revealed that much of the time was spent conducting short (2–4 min), shallow (approximately 0.9–1.5 m) dives, consistent with predictions for optimisation of near-surface travelling, while long (typically 20–30 min), deep (typically 10–20 m) dives had a distinctive profile found in other marine reptiles. These results suggest that green turtles crossing the Atlantic do not behave invariantly, but instead alternate between periods of travelling just beneath the surface and diving deeper. These deep dives may have evolved to reduce silhouetting against the surface, which would make turtles more susceptible to visual predators such as large sharks.

Key words: satellite telemetry, turtle, Chelonia mydas, diving, migration.


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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2001