Depredation of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests by predatory ants in chagar hutang , redang island and their control

Abstract

In Chagar Hutang, out of 30 species of ants collected, five species have been identified as predators of green turtle nests. Dorylus (Dichthadia) laevigatus (a subterranean species) and Pheidologeton affinis (a terrestrial species) represent the major predatory species. In 2004, out of 459 (10.9%) green turtle nests deposited, 50 were depredated by ants. Twenty-eight of the nests were depredated by D. laevigatus, and four nests by P. affinis. In spite of the effort to protect turtle nests in 2005, 49 predation incidences occurred out of 221 (22.2%) turtle nests deposited. Twenty-two nests were depredated by D. laevigatus and five by P. affinis. Dorylus laevigatus preferred hatchlings to eggs, while. P. affinis preferred eggs. Both temporal patterns of predation incidences by ants and the cumulative number of the nests incubated in situ were similar. However, the predation incidence in 2004 started later than that in 2005.