Body Condition Scoring the Sea Turtle

Weight trends can be a helpful indicator of hydration and nutritional status in veterinary medicine and wildlife rehabilitation settings. This article explores body weight and body measurements in the green (Chelonia mydas), flatback (Natator depressus), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempi), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) turtle. Subjective and objective body condition scoring systems used during physical examination are described and examples ranging from emaciation to obesity are illustrated. The relationship between carapace length and sea turtle sexual maturity is also discussed. LOGIN to view references . . .


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References

Conant TA, Dutton PH, Eguchi T, et al. Loggerhead sea turtle 2009 status review under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries website. August 2009. Available at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/statusreviews/loggerheadturtle2009.pdf. Accessed on May 16, 2014.

Miller JD, Limpus CJ. Ontogeny of marine turtles gonads. In: Lutz PL, Muzick JA, Wyneken J (eds). The Biology of Sea Turtles. Boca Raton, FL; CRC Press: 199–224

Norton TM. Sea turtle rehabilitation. In: Miller RE, Fowler M (eds). Fowler’s Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine Current Therapy Volume 7. St. Louis, MO:Elsevier Saunders;2012:239.

Snover ML. Growth and ontogeny of sea turtles using skeletochronology: methods, validation and application to conservation. Ph.D dissertation, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. 2002.

Stewart JR, Johnson C, Godfrey MH. The minimum size of leatherbacks at reproductive maturity, with a review of sizes for nesting females from the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins. Herpetological Journal 17(2):123-128, 2007.

Wyneken J, Godfrey MH, Bels V (eds.). Biology of Turtles: From Structures to Strategies of Life. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2007: 1-408.

Wyneken J, Mader DR, Weber III ES, et al. 2006. Medical care of sea turtles. In: Mader DR (ed). Reptile Medicine and Surgery, 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2012: 972-1007.

Wyneken J. The Anatomy of Sea Turtles. US Department of Commerce NOAA Technical Memorandum. NMFS-SEFSC-470, 1-172, 2001.

 

Further reading

Visit Widecast.org for more information on standardized sea turtle measurements.

To cite this page:

Norton T, Wyneken J. Body condition scoring the sea turtle. January 27, 2015. LafeberVet Web site. Available at https://lafeber.com/vet/body-condition-scoring-the-sea-turtle/