Rats, an invasive species, exert an important predation on baby green sea turtles on Tetiaroa atoll. Rats are able to feel the imminent hatching of a nest and extract the baby turtles from the sand, as you can see in the video below! This video was filmed thanks to an infrared camera installed next to the nest.
The conclusion is simple: the baby turtles represent a familiar source of food for the rats.
We need your support. Help us understand rats’ predation to better protect the green sea turtles on Tetiaroa atoll! Support our actions by making a donation or buying items in our shop.
*** Together, we will go further for the protection of our sea turtles ***
* Monitoring of green sea turtle nesting sites authorized by the Direction of the Environment of French Polynesia
** To learn more about the work done on this subject during the 2017-2018 season: http://www.publish.csiro.au/PC/PC18087
*** Thank you to Markus Gronwald, PhD student at the University of Auckland for all the work performed by our side
Thank you to our partners : Direction for the Environment of French Polynesia, Air Tahiti Nui, Tetiaroa Society, The Brando, Hinerava, Vilebrequin, Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, Esri France, Van Oord et IFBD.
