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Everlasting Nature of Asia, Ogasawara Marine Center    Researcher: Satomi Kondo

Ecologically studying the conservation and sustainable consumption of green turtles in an era of climate change

Research grant

Project Description

This study focuses on determining the optimum number of sea turtles that can be safely harvested while achieving the dual goals of preserving traditional Ogasawara Island food culture and ensuring sufficient protection of this endangered animal. A significant number of marine animal populations worldwide have experienced serious declines due to excessive harvesting by humans – a situation caused by overfishing to meet market demand without consideration of its impact on ecology. In recent years, global warming and other forms of climate change have been impacting the survival of animal populations, and sea turtles are particularly susceptible to climate change due to the fact that the temperature of the beach where eggs are laid plays a critical role in determining the sex of hatchlings. With a focus on protecting both the livelihoods of local residents and local sea turtle stocks, we plan to conduct an ecological survey of sea turtles in the Ogasawara Islands and consider an optimal approach to use of the local sea turtle population that will allow them to prosper despite climate change. [No. R19-0039]

Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund FY2019 Research Grants List (PDF 508KB)

Fields
Ecosystems and the Symbiotic Society
Grant year
FY2019 Research Grants
Grant term
3 years (April 2020 to March 2023)
Grant amount
¥13,000,000
Activity region
Ogasawara Village, Tokyo
Adult green turtle crawling up a beach to lay eggs

Overview of the Organization

Researcher: Satomi Kondo
Project organization
Everlasting Nature of Asia, Ogasawara Marine Center
Representative
Researcher: Satomi Kondo
Profile
Specialist field: Sea turtle conservation / egg-laying status survey
Background: Bachelor of Applied Science, Southern Cross University
Research record
Kobayashi, S., Morimoto, Y., Kondo, S., Sato, T., Suganuma, H., Arai, K., & Watanabe, G. (2017). Sex differences and the heritability of scute pattern abnormalities in the green sea turtle from the Ogasawara Archipelago, Japan. Zoological science, 34, 281-287.
Kondo, S., Morimoto, Y., Sato, T., & Suganuma, H. (2017). Factors Affecting the Long-Term Population Dynamics of Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Ogasawara, Japan: Influence of Natural and Artificial Production of Hatchlings and Harvest Pressure. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 16(1), 83-92.
Kitayama, C., Hayashi, K., Ohari, Y., Kondo, S., Kuroki, T., Shibahara, T., & Itagaki, T. (2019). Infection by and Molecular Features of Learedius learedi (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) in Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) on the Ogasawara Islands, Japan. Journal of Parasitology, 105(4), 533-538.
Kondoh, D., Kitayama, C., Yamaguchi, Y., Yanagawa, M., Kawai, Y. K., Suzuki, C.,Itakura,R., Fujimoto, A., Satow,T., Kondo, S. & Sato, T. (2019). Nasal cavity of green sea turtles contains three independent sensory epithelia. Chemical senses.
Yamaguchi, Y., Kitayama, C., Tanaka, S., Kondo, S., Miyazaki, A., Okamoto, K.,Yanagawa,M. & Kondoh, D. (2020). Computed tomographic analysis of internal structures within the nasal cavities of green, loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles. The Anatomical Record.

2012: Survey on green turtles and humpback whales in the Ogasawara Islands
2016~: Conservation activities and spawning status survey for hawks and green turtles in the Java Sea, Indonesia
2016~: Conservation activities for leatherback turtles, green sea turtles, and green turtles and spawning status survey in West Papua, Indonesia
2019: Green turtle survey in Malaysia, Sarawak
WEB site
http://www.elna.or.jp