Southeast Asia Sea Turtle Associative ResearchBangkok, Thailand, 16-19 December 2002Emergence success of loggerhead turtles in Inakahama beach is decreasing and this phenomenon seems to be related to human beach use. To clarify this relationship, locations and numbers of loggerhead turtle's nests and beach users were recorded at each area. Some nests were excavated and development of embryos was checked. Pressure, temperature, and humidity in the nests were also measured (40cm under the surface) at each examination area. In Inakahama Beach, mean rate of emergence success was lower than the areas which are frequently used by visitors. In this area, visitors stomping on the nests cause the decrease of emergence success of the turtles. Visitors stomping on the nests cause overheating in the nests, resulting in retarding of hatchling emergence from their nests
