Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Does Recreational Diving Alter Hawksbill Sea Turtle Foraging Behavior? Results From A Marine Protected Area, Honduras, Christian Hayes

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Recent studies indicate that recreational diving may cause unintended behavioral changes in marine macrofauna. The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered species encountered by recreational divers in marine protected areas (MPAs) circumtropically. Few studies, however, have examined the impacts of recreational diving on sea turtle behavior. We conducted in-water observations of 61 juvenile hawksbill turtles from June 12 to September 2, 2014 in the Roatán Marine Park (RMP), Roatán, Honduras, to quantify the impacts of recreational diving on hawksbill behavior. We recorded turtle behaviors and the number of behavior bouts to test the effects of …