Analysis of Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtle Nesting Densities and Nest Site Probability in Relation to Topographical Features

As the impacts of climate change and habitat loss increasingly threaten marine turtle species, it is important to examine less understood aspects of their behavior, as well as identify any alternative management strategies. The behavior surrounding beach selection in sea turtles is well understood, but nest site selection itself has not been well examined. Using loggerhead and green sea turtles as case species, the relationship between nest site locations and topographical features on the Canaveral National Seashore were analyzed using logistic regression. The results indicate that these sea turtle species are using topographical features as cues in nest site selection. These results can be used to create a predictive model to help aid in sea turtle conservation.