Meshgrids protect loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta nests from red fox Vulpes vulpes predation
Yerli S., Canbolat AF., Brown LJ., Macdonald DW.
The efficacy of protecting loggerhead Caretta caretta turtle nests from red fox Vulpes vulpes predation was examined at Dalyan beach, Turkey. Twenty-five nests were protected using individual wire mesh grids. Predation occurred at 63% of the 88 unprotected control nests. In contrast, no protected nests were predated. As a consequence, hatching success was significantly higher at protected nests than at control nests. The feasibility of adopting wire mesh grids as a routine method for turtle nest conservation is evaluated.