First Record of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Southern Gulf of California, Sinaloa, Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) are characterized by their transoceanic migratory patterns in the North Pacific Ocean, as individuals of this species originating from nesting beaches in Japan are known to forage along the Baja California Peninsula (BCP), Mexico. The nearshore waters of BCP serve as important foraging habitat for growth and development; however, the implementation of appropriate management strategies has been hindered by the paucity of data on the biology and distribution of the species, particularly for juveniles during their developmental migrations. We report for the first time the occurrence and distribution of loggerhead turtles in Sinaloa, Mexico, in the southernmost portion of the Gulf of California.