據(jù)美國科學(xué)促進會網(wǎng)站近日報道,，英國科學(xué)家通過衛(wèi)星定位，用5年時間對生活在南大西洋的25只母棱皮龜進行追蹤,，確定了棱皮龜從其最大的繁殖地非洲加蓬穿越南大西洋回到覓食地的3條路線,。這一突破性發(fā)現(xiàn)刊登在近期《皇家學(xué)會學(xué)報B》上。
據(jù)悉,，這3條遷徙路線的距離都很長,，途徑至少11個國家，其中一條從非洲到南美洲的直行路線長達7563公里,。棱皮龜經(jīng)由這幾條路線從加蓬回到食物充足的大西洋東南部和西南部,，在那里呆上2年到5年以養(yǎng)精蓄銳，為再次返回加蓬繁殖做準(zhǔn)備,。
據(jù)馬修·威特博士介紹,，在此之前科學(xué)家對棱皮龜做了大量的研究,，但沒人能確切指出它們在南大西洋的行蹤,。此次研究雖然發(fā)現(xiàn)每年有不同數(shù)量的棱皮龜在加蓬產(chǎn)卵后經(jīng)過這3條遷徙路線返回覓食地。但目前還不能確定是什么原因影響棱皮龜選擇哪條路線,。不過,，母棱皮龜游走幾千公里穿越大西洋的行為堪稱壯舉。
太平洋中的棱皮龜在過去30年中數(shù)量急劇減少，僅墨西哥一個捕撈區(qū)的數(shù)量就從1982年的7萬只銳減到1998年至1999年的250只,。采集海龜?shù)?、臨海刺網(wǎng)捕魚以及長線捕魚是造成太平洋棱皮龜數(shù)量銳減的可能原因。在大西洋,，雖然還沒有確切數(shù)據(jù)表明棱皮龜數(shù)量在減少,，但保護人士已經(jīng)開始采取積極行動避免棱皮龜在太平洋的悲劇在此發(fā)生。
布倫丹·戈德利博士呼吁：“目前確認(rèn)的這3條路線對棱皮龜來說來自捕撈業(yè)的威脅很大,。有關(guān)國家以及遠洋艦隊?wèi)?yīng)該參與到保護棱皮龜?shù)男袆又衼?。希望人們能采取行動保護這些可愛生靈。”（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
Proc. R. Soc. B doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2467
Tracking leatherback turtles from the world's largest rookery: assessing threats across the South Atlantic
Matthew J. Witt1, Eric Augowet Bonguno2, Annette C. Broderick1, Michael S. Coyne1,3, Angela Formia4,5, Alain Gibudi6, Gil Avery Mounguengui Mounguengui7, Carine Moussounda8, Monique NSafou2, Solange Nougessono2, Richard J. Parnell4, Guy-Philippe Sounguet9, Sebastian Verhage10 and Brendan J. Godley1,*
Abstract
Despite extensive work carried out on leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the North Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, very little is known of the at-sea distribution of this species in the South Atlantic, where the world's largest population nests in Gabon (central Africa). This paucity of data is of marked concern given the pace of industrialization in fisheries with demonstrable marine turtle bycatch in African/Latin American waters. We tracked the movements of 25 adult female leatherback turtles obtaining a range of fundamental and applied insights, including indications for methodological advancement. Individuals could be assigned to one of three dispersal strategies, moving to (i) habitats of the equatorial Atlantic, (ii) temperate habitats off South America or (iii) temperate habitats off southern Africa. While occupying regions with high surface chlorophyll concentrations, these strategies exposed turtles to some of the world's highest levels of longline fishing effort, in addition to areas with coastal gillnet fisheries. Satellite tracking highlighted that at least 11 nations should be involved in the conservation of this species in addition to those with distant fishing fleets. The majority of tracking days were, however, spent in the high seas, where effective implementation of conservation efforts is complex to achieve.
