title: Blood values in free-ranging nesting leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) on the coast of the Republic of Gabon.
abstract: Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are the most endangered of the seven species of sea turtles. The health status of leatherbacks is largely unknown, although the number of nesting females recorded throughout the world has decreased precipitously in the last few decades. Central African beaches may provide one of the last strongholds for nesting leatherback females. In the region, oil extraction and incidental capture pose significant threats to the health of the population. Physical examinations, hematology, plasma biochemistry, plasma corticosterone concentration, plasma protein electrophoresis, plasma vitamin concentrations, and toxicological parameters were evaluated in nesting female leatherbacks in the Republic of Gabon. The general clinical condition of the 35 turtles examined in this study was rated as good. The blood value results for a subset of these turtles are presented and compared to published results from other sea turtles. To the authors' knowledge, these are the first published baseline hematology, plasma biochemistry, and plasma protein electrophoresis values from clinically healthy nesting leatherback turtles.
authors.affiliation: Field Veterinary Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, New York, New York 10460, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Deem
authors.forename: Ellen S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dierenfeld
authors.forename: Guy Phillipe
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Sounguet
authors.forename: A Rick
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Alleman
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cray
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Poppenga
authors.forename: Terry M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Karesh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon; D006304:Health Status; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000662:veterinary; D012016:Reference Values; D013045:Species Specificity; D014426:Turtles / Q000097:blood*