Most sea turtle nesting across the globe occurs within the summer months. However on Crab Island most nesting appears to occur within the winter months! The peak of the season on Crab is still unclear, however preliminary surveys suggest that the period July to October may be some of the densest nesting months. The reasons for this are unknown. It could also be possible that there are a natural annual fluctuations in peak periods throughout seasons.
The divergence in the timing of the nesting season from summer to winter months on Crab Island warrants further investigation. This may lead to a better understanding of the cues initiating breeding behaviour in the Crab Island flatback turtle population and contribute to a better understanding of breeding cues in sea turtle populations as a whole.
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