Life Sciences Commons^™

Potential Hawksbill Prey Item Distribution Among Dive Sites In A Marine Protected Area In Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras, Christian Hayes, Marsha K. Wright, Marta Macpui, Lidia A. Salinas, Stephen G. Dunbar

Science and Mathematics Faculty Presentations

The Bay Islands of Honduras consist of three different islands, one of which is the island of Roatán on which the Roatán Marine Park (RMP), a marine protected area, is located at the west end. The RMP has only recently become an important area for sea turtle populations. The marine park is patrolled daily by park rangers to prevent illegal fishing practices, and the take of sharks and turtles, creating safe foraging areas for many marine megafauna. Hawksbills have been observed foraging within the park, yet the prey species they utilize are essentially unknown. We observed hawksbill foraging behavior for …