A seven-year record of fluctuating core body temperatures of nesting leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles

Sea turtles experience considerable changes in water temperatures during migrations and seasonal movements that will influence their body temperatures. Nothing is known of how sea turtles’ core body temperatures vary from season to season at nesting sites. Over seven consecutive seasons we measured the surface temperatures of freshly laid eggs as proxies of core body temperatures of sea turtles using non-contact infrared thermometers. We estimated the temperatures of two species that have contrasting migration patterns - leatherbacks, which are adapted to migrate between tropical breeding sites to cold temperate waters, and hawksbills that are confined to the tropics and sub-tropics. We found considerable year-to-year variations in temperatures in both species (means ranging from 30.4°C to 31.5°C in leatherbacks), hawksbills the more so (28.1°C to 30.3°C). These differences will likely be modified by both natural seasonal variations and anthropogenic changes in global ocean temperatures..., Hand-held laser spot guided infrared thermometers. Satellite-based sea surface temperatures. Data processed and visualised using ORIGINlab and MS Excel software.,