TY - JOUR
T1 - Ameliorating transport-related stress in endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) with a recovery period in saltwater pools
AU - Hunt, Kathleen E.
AU - Innis, Charles
AU - Merigo, Constance
AU - Burgess, Elizabeth A.
AU - Norton, Terry
AU - Davis, Deborah
AU - Kennedy, Adam E.
AU - Loren Buck, C.
N1 - Funding Information:
We acknowledge the invaluable assistance of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center staff and AmeriCorps members and volunteers. We are also grateful to Katherine (Kat) DeStefano, Michelle Kelly, Rebecca Lash, Elizabeth Linske, Linda Lory, Kerry McNally, Jillian Nolan, Teressa Padvaiskas, Katie Pugliares-Bonner, Marissa Tardiani and Julika Wocial for their help with animal handing or sampling. We thank Michelle Kaylor of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for coordinating our releases for the turtles in this study, and we thank the staff and volunteers of the Massachusetts Audubon Society Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary and the New England Aquarium Animal Health Department and Rescue and Rehabilitation Department for recovery, clinical care and sample preparation for these turtles. Our thanks also to Danielle Dillon of Northern Arizona University for technical support and other staff and personnel of the Buck Laboratory who assisted with sea turtle sample analysis. This study was supported by the New England Aquarium, the Morris Animal Foundation and Northern Arizona University.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 The Author(s).
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Sea turtle rehabilitation clinics and aquaria frequently transport stranded sea turtles long distances out of water, e.g. for release at sites with appropriate water temperatures. Endangered Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) are known to exhibit an adrenal stress response during such transports. In an opportunistic study of turtles transported by road from Massachusetts to Georgia for release, we tested whether placing turtles in saltwater pools for short periods after transport would help turtles recover from transport-related stress. Eighteen juvenile Kemp's ridley turtles were examined and blood samples collected (1) immediately pre-transport, (2) immediately post-transport and (3) after a 6 h (n = 9) or 24 h (n = 9) post-transport period in unfamiliar pools, after which all turtles were released to the sea. Blood samples were analyzed for corticosterone, glucose, total white blood cell (WBC) count, heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, pH, pO 2 , pCO 2 , HCO 3 (bicarbonate), sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, lactate and hematocrit. Though the majority of turtles remained in good clinical condition, corticosterone, glucose, WBC and H/L elevated significantly during transport, while potassium declined slightly but significantly. After at least 6 h in a saltwater pool, potassium and glucose returned to pre-transport baselines and corticosterone partially recovered toward baseline. Extending the pool time to 24 h did not markedly enhance the physiological recovery of turtles, and two immune measures (WBC, H/L) remained elevated from the effect of transport. Six hours in a saltwater pool appears to facilitate the recovery of Kemp's ridley sea turtles from transport-related stress and may therefore improve their readiness for release.
AB - Sea turtle rehabilitation clinics and aquaria frequently transport stranded sea turtles long distances out of water, e.g. for release at sites with appropriate water temperatures. Endangered Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) are known to exhibit an adrenal stress response during such transports. In an opportunistic study of turtles transported by road from Massachusetts to Georgia for release, we tested whether placing turtles in saltwater pools for short periods after transport would help turtles recover from transport-related stress. Eighteen juvenile Kemp's ridley turtles were examined and blood samples collected (1) immediately pre-transport, (2) immediately post-transport and (3) after a 6 h (n = 9) or 24 h (n = 9) post-transport period in unfamiliar pools, after which all turtles were released to the sea. Blood samples were analyzed for corticosterone, glucose, total white blood cell (WBC) count, heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, pH, pO 2 , pCO 2 , HCO 3 (bicarbonate), sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, lactate and hematocrit. Though the majority of turtles remained in good clinical condition, corticosterone, glucose, WBC and H/L elevated significantly during transport, while potassium declined slightly but significantly. After at least 6 h in a saltwater pool, potassium and glucose returned to pre-transport baselines and corticosterone partially recovered toward baseline. Extending the pool time to 24 h did not markedly enhance the physiological recovery of turtles, and two immune measures (WBC, H/L) remained elevated from the effect of transport. Six hours in a saltwater pool appears to facilitate the recovery of Kemp's ridley sea turtles from transport-related stress and may therefore improve their readiness for release.
KW - Chelonian
KW - corticosterone
KW - glucose
KW - soft release
KW - stress
KW - transportation
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U2 - 10.1093/conphys/coy065
DO - 10.1093/conphys/coy065
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85061754448
SN - 2051-1434
VL - 7
JO - Conservation Physiology
JF - Conservation Physiology
IS - 1
M1 - coy065
ER -