HEALTH PARAMETERS IN THE LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE (DERMOCHELYS CORIACEA) AND THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THEM

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest species of sea turtle, and the only extant genus of Dermochelyidae. Within the United States, all populations of leatherbacks are considered endangered. As such, great efforts are aimed at population conservation; however, many of these efforts are thwarted by a fundamental lack of baseline health knowledge of the species and how their health is impacted by climate change. In an effort to fill some of these knowledge gaps I established reference intervals for multiple blood analytes (packed cell volume, estimated total protein, and agarose gel electrophoresis) in leatherback neonates at emergence and at 3-4 weeks of age after captive-rearing. I also characterized the skin microbiota of the leatherback sea turtle at multiple life-stage classes. These data serve as an essential starting place for understanding health in leatherback sea turtles and a provide novel means to measure it. To assess how climate change is affecting leatherback health I studied the impact of rising incubation temperatures on these measures of health in neonates at emergence and again at 3-4 weeks. I found significant alterations in blood analytes (packed cell volume, estimated total protein, pre-albumin, alpha-1 globulins, and alpha-2 globulins) when compared between turtles that incubated in cooler versus hot nests at both emergence and 3-4 weeks of age. Additionally, I observed significant shifts in the skin microbiota between temperature groups at both time points. These data reveal that increasing incubation temperatures are altering neonatal physiology at emergence, and that significant differences can persist for up to 3-4 weeks. Consequently, the impacts of increasing incubation temperatures have potential long-term negative impacts on neonatal health and thus survival. In the future, conservation efforts should aim to address negative impacts of climate change on health to mitigate the potential long-term impacts of increasing incubation temperatures on leatherback neonates.