Status and Conservation of Nesting Turtles on the Eastern Coast of Ghana

Abstract

Shoreline characteristics and turtle nesting activities on the eastern coast of Ghana was investigated between April 2017 and March 2019. Physical parameters of the beach, distribution, abundance, morphometric data of turtles and nesting activities were monitored within the study areas. Four species of turtles, namely, Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtle (Erectmochelys. imbricata) were encountered. An aggregate of 1,397 and 632 turtle activities occurred at Songor Ramsar Site (SRS) and Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS) respectively. Activities of Olive ridley turtles were well distributed in SRS with 2.95 nests per kilometer. Leatherback turtles were common in KLCRS with 2.93 nests per kilometer. Predators of turtle eggs were mostly dogs, ghost crabs, pigs and humans. Dogs were most successful egg predators accounting for 23.6% and 16.6% egg predations in SRS and KLCRS. Olive ridley nests were vulnerable to predation, accounting for 56.2% of total nests predated. A total of 1,183 crawling gaits and nests were encountered, of these 60.4% and 39.6% occurred in SRS and KLCRS. Out of 545 dead turtles encountered, 97.98% occurred in SRS whiles 2.01% occurred in KLCRS. Variations occurred in the sex of the dead turtle encountered during 2017 - 2018 (p = 0.038). Leatherbacks were preferred species poached accounting for 93.9% of total poached turtles with monthly and annual poaching rate of 2.03 and 0.37 respectively. Unstable shoreline dictated by high to moderately low erosion, accretion and sand dunes influenced turtle activities. Nesting activities were high when dunes height and erosion were low whiles accretion was high and vice versa. Beach illuminated by artificial lights influenced nesting trends with over 75% of turtle nesting activities occurring in darker and isolated beaches. Recommendations for improving data collection, reducing effect of shoreline changes and involvement of stakeholders to protect turtles are made.