First local flipper-tag recapture of a male hawksbill turtle near a major rookery in the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela

Abstract

Knowledge of the reproductive ecology of male hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Caribbean remains limited, constraining the development evidence-based spatial management strategies for breeding areas. To generate preliminary data on the occurrence of adult hawksbill male near the primary rookery in the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela, we conducted biweekly in-water net surveys and monitored artisanal fishing activities from April 2023 to June 2025. In June 2025, one tagged adult male, originally captured in June 2023 near Los Garzos Bay, was recaptured near Las Garcitas, 727 days later and approximately 1.6 km from the original capture site. The turtle was identified as an adult male via tail length and secondary sexual characteristics. Together with opportunistic observations of male–female courtship in the same area, this recapture provides preliminary evidence that adult male hawksbills occur near Las Garcitas Islets and Los Garzos Bay during the breeding period and at the peak of the nesting season. However, current evidence rests on a single local recapture and opportunistic fishery-dependent reports; it therefore does not demonstrate continuous residency, seasonal site fidelity, remigration periodicity, local male abundance, or reproductive connectivity to the rookery. Future research integrating satellite telemetry, multi-season mark–recapture, photo-identification, and genetic analyses will be necessary to assess male occurrence, residence times, movement patterns, and connectivity to nesting populations. This study highlights the Las Garcitas Islets–Los Garzos Bay area as a candidate site for targeted monitoring and future evaluation of seasonal sea turtle conservation actions in collaboration with local fishers.