title: Causes of Stranding and Mortality, and Final Disposition of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) Admitted to a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Gran Canaria Island, Spain (1998-2014): A Long-Term Retrospective Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to analyze the causes of stranding of 1,860 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) admitted at the Tafira Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Gran Canaria Island, Spain, from 1998 to 2014, and to analyze the outcomes of the rehabilitation process to allow meaningful auditing of its quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary causes of morbidity were classified into seven categories: entanglement in fishing gear and/or plastics, ingestion of hooks and monofilament lines, trauma, infectious disease, crude oil, other causes, and unknown/undetermined. Final dispositions were calculated as euthanasia (Er), unassisted mortality (Mr), and release (Rr) rates. Time to death (Td) for euthanized and dead turtles, and length of stay for released (Tr) turtles were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequent causes of morbidity were entanglement in fishing gear and/or plastics (50.81%), unknown/undetermined (20.37%), and ingestion of hooks (11.88%). The final disposition of the 1,634 loggerhead turtles admitted alive were: Er = 3.37%, Mr = 10.34%, and Rr = 86.29%. Er was significantly higher in the trauma category (18.67%) compared to the other causes of admission. The highest Mr was observed for turtles admitted due to trauma (30.67%). The highest Rr was observed in the crude oil (93.87%) and entanglement (92.38%) categories. The median Tr ranged from 12 days (unknown) to 70 days (trauma).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey is the first large-scale epidemiological study on causes of stranding and mortality of Eastern Atlantic loggerheads and demonstrates that at least 71.72% of turtles stranded due to anthropogenic causes. The high Rr (86.29%) emphasizes the importance of marine rehabilitation centers for conservation purposes. The stratified analysis by causes of admission of the three final disposition rates, and the parameters Td and Tr should be included in the outcome research of the rehabilitation process of sea turtles in order to allow comparative studies between marine rehabilitation centers around the world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arucas (Las Palmas), Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Orós
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arucas (Las Palmas), Spain.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montesdeoca
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arucas (Las Palmas), Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arucas (Las Palmas), Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arencibia
authors.affiliation: Tafira Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Tafira Baja-Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Pascual
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calabuig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056727:Endangered Species; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D014426:Turtles