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01-05-2015 | Original Article

Baseline blood values for healthy free-ranging green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Puerto Rico

Authors: Annie Page-Karjian, Samuel Rivera, Fernando Torres, Carlos Diez, Debra Moore, Robert Van Dam, Corrie Brown

Published in: Comparative Clinical Pathology | Issue 3/2015

Abstract

In Puerto Rico, green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) appear to congregate in certain areas that constitute neritic developmental habitats for juvenile green turtles and foraging habitats for migrating larger immature and adult green turtles. The objective of this study was to establish baseline blood health indices in free-ranging green sea turtles occupying such habitats in Puerto Rico. We analyzed packed cell volume, morphometrics, and plasma biochemistry and protein electrophoresis parameters for free-ranging green sea turtles in the Culebra archipelago of Puerto Rico. The general health of turtles included in this study was rated as good based on body condition, physical examination, and molecular diagnostics. We report packed cell volume, plasma biochemistry, and protein electrophoresis reference interval values for juvenile and subadult green sea turtles. Development of site-specific baseline blood health parameters for wild, healthy sea turtle populations is an important factor in creating effective management protocols and enhances our ability to understand the effects of anthropogenic and environmental changes on sea turtle health.

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Title: Baseline blood values for healthy free-ranging green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Puerto Rico
Authors: Annie Page-Karjian
Samuel Rivera
Fernando Torres
Carlos Diez
Debra Moore
Robert Van Dam
Corrie Brown
Publication date: 01-05-2015
Publisher: Springer London
Published in: Comparative Clinical Pathology / Issue 3/2015
Print ISSN: 1618-5641
Electronic ISSN: 1618-565X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-014-1947-1

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Baseline blood values for healthy free-ranging green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Puerto Rico

Abstract

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