Editor, Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter
iotn.editors@gmail.com
A very happy new year to everyone as we start 2024. This issue of IOTN showcases research being conducted by graduate students in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia region, and I hope that you enjoy the insight into ongoing projects.
Five of the articles come from students affiliated with the Sea Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU) at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Using technology such as acoustic telemetry, baited remote underwater video, and in-nest microphones, student researchers are examining interesting habitat use, foraging behaviours, predator population ecology, and nest emergence behaviour respectively. Student projects from the SEATRU team are also assessing the health of nesting and foraging turtles and individuals at rehabilitation centres.
From India, two articles outline student research that is investigating nesting density with spatial and temporal variation in beach profile data at Rushikulya, and using stage-based population modelling to assess the implications of low hatchling production from hatcheries for population resilience and growth. Our last article is based on field observation by students on stranded sea turtles.
Many of the student researchers who have shared project overviews in IOTN39 will also be at the 42nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation in Pattaya, Thailand, in March. I hope to also see many other readers of IOTN at the symposium sessions and events.
A reminder about that the next issue of IOTN will be a coordinated special issue with the MedTurtle Bulletin, focusing on rescue and rehabilitation of sea turtles. Submissions should be sent to iotn.editors@gmail.com by March 2024.
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