The effects of feeding populations of the green turtle in the Canary Islands

Feeding the animals is altering the behaviour and eating habits of the green turtle in the Canary Islands. This is the conclusion of a study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, carried out by a team in which Lluís Cardona, from the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (IRBio) takes part. The study, with Catalina Monzón (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) as first author, is also signed by experts from ASD Biodiversidad, Oceanografic Foundation, and La Tahonilla and Tafira Wildlife Rescue Centers, in the Canary Islands.

Wild animals are an attractive advertisement for tourists -which creates important economic benefits. The irresponsible practice of feeding with artificial food is spreading worldwide and affecting several marine species, including the sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) and the whale shark (Rhincodon typus). The authors of this new study warn about feeding being a new threat for the green turtle, a species which has been historically threatened for its consumption, and recently, due accidental fishing, sea transit and marine debris.

Promoting measures to control recreational activities and improve supervision are priority actions to improve the conservation of the species, which has sharks as the main predators –also big fish and marine birds for the offspring- and which makes broad migrations from the feeding area to the nesting beaches in tropical countries. 

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