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Beloit College & Oberlin College

Publication Date

Spring 2016

Program Name

Tanzania-Zanzibar: Coastal Ecology and Natural Resource Management

Abstract

Misali Island, one of the first conservation areas in Zanzibar, is considered an important nesting ground for the Green and Hawksbill turtles. This study was conducted to present results on the nesting and hatching trends on Misali Island by using data collected since 2002. Thorough statistical analyses were used on these data in order to find patterns in the nesting trends of these two species, and identify any significant differences that have occurred over the years. Overall, there has been a steady decline in the number of nesting and hatching events, but no statistically significant trends were found in terms of any major differences in the numbers. However, the average success rates of all nesting locations at Misali were all found to be over 70%, and there was a significant difference between Mpapaini beach when compared with all other nesting locations with regards to numbers of nests. These findings, along with the constant level of turtle activities, demonstrate the importance of Misali Island as a suitable key nesting site. These results can be used to determine the effectiveness of the current conservation efforts and legislation implementations that have been done regarding the population of Green and Hawksbill turtles, and help with future effective prioritization of resources.

Disciplines

Environmental Health and Protection | Environmental Law | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

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