Long-range movements of the first oceanic-stage loggerhead turtle tracked in Italian waters

No information is currently available on the spatial behaviour of oceanic-stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) frequenting the Central Mediterranean Sea. To start filling this gap, we monitored by satellite the movements and diving pattern of a small loggerhead that was released from central Italy after a short rehabilitation period. The turtle was tracked for almost 2 months, during which it quickly left the Italian mainland and reached the oceanic waters west of Sardinia moving first along Corsica eastern coastline. The turtle remained in offshore waters for several weeks, following circuitous paths in an area known to be frequented by juvenile loggerheads arriving from Spanish waters. During the first part of the tracking, the turtle mostly performed short dives spending at least the 85% of time underwater, whereas its successive stay in oceanic waters was characterized by longer periods spent at surface while carrying out more prolonged submergences. Although obtained on a single turtle, these findings shed light on the poorly known movement patterns of oceanic-stage Mediterranean loggerheads and could be useful to inform conservation policies in the area.